In this week’s newsletter

✅ Introducing Professor John K. Davis, a philosopher specializing in medical ethics. ✅ Malthusian overpopulation concerns. ✅ The haves, the have-nots and the will-nots.  ✅ Challenging the myths associated with longevity. ✅ Detailed show notes.

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”The choice to turn down life extension will be a little bit like choosing lifelong celibacy”

When Aubrey de Grey learned we were featuring Professor John K. Davis in this latest episode of LEVITY, he remarked: ”John has been a leading figure in this space for decades - indeed, he spoke at my very first SENS conference in Cambridge in 2003. Looking forward to his 2024 views!”

By ”this space”, de Grey refers to the field of bioethics and philosophical discourse surrounding life extension and the societal implications of solving aging. Professor Davis, a philosopher at California State University, Fullerton, is renowned for his work in this area, particularly his book New Methuselahs: The Ethics of Life Extension, which examines the ethical arguments for and against radical life extension.

In a way, it’s rather disheartening. The discussion around solving aging, defeating death, and achieving unlimited healthy lifespans is still shrouded in myths, steeped in copium, and hampered by weak but pervasive arguments.

People apply different standards or reasoning to solving aging compared to other medical or technological advancements. Many of us have a, as John says, ”a particular blind spot when when it comes to life extension”.

Speaking of Aubrey de Grey, he once shared his views on the solution to this conundrum.

”I was asking him, what do you think would be effective in persuading people life extension is a good idea? And he said - I think he's dead right about this - he said just keep talking about it. Just keep bringing it up. Just keep rehearsing the issues again and again. So people have the chance to get familiar with it and I think that's a lot of it right there”, John tells me and Patrick.

Philosophical meeting of minds

And that’s exactly what we are doing in this episode. We need many more of you to get familiar with the idea. While the technical hurdles in solving aging are immense, I often find myself wondering if the societal and cultural barriers we face aren't even more daunting.

Of course, we explored these topics in our very first episode of LEVITY. As many of you know, my co-host Patrick Linden is also a philosopher and author of the brilliant book The Case Against Death, which shares many similarities with John's work. Patrick excels at dismantling the many absurd claims that pro-deathists have in their arsenal. Here, I found myself in the company of two philosophers, taking turns systematically debunking these ideas. (I must admit, I occasionally felt like the third wheel in the philosophical meeting of minds. 😄)

In the show notes below, you'll find some of the key arguments from the episode, including Davis's ”God's offer” thought experiment, the ”lingering guest” metaphor, the idea of ”death benefits” and why it could be wise to take Malthusian concerns seriously. You’ll learn about why we should promote life extension, not inhibit or prohibit it.

Armed with these insights, you'll be better prepared to advocate for life extension in your own circles. Remember, every conversation you have could be a step towards changing minds and, ultimately, changing and saving lives.

A detailed overview of the episode