Life Extension Ethical Implications

Reader Response To The Ethical Implications Of Human Life Extension
The paper named Living Forever: The Ethical Implications of Human Life Extension by Brad Patridge published in the year of 2009 discusses human life extension and its implications. It entails that breakthroughs in modern biotechnology has allowed sceintists to develop scientific methods capable of enhancing abstract matters such as the longevity of one’s life. The paper also emphasizes that, though appealing, life extension raises many different arguments over its validity by both commoners and bioethicists alike. The author’s intonation and equal reinforcement of both positive and negative arguments suggests that he is being neutral in his paper. I disagree that life extension
However, this is a broad issue and has many factors which need to be discussed. For instance, if life extension does result in older people having healthy bodies and minds, it would lead to unheralded competition for natural resources such as air, water, space, oil etc. Overexploitation of these basic resources can not only wreck havoc to us and our environment but other species would be severely compromised. For instance, if the population density reaches an unsustainable number, then the exploitation of space resources would dramatically inflate. Destruction of natural habitats will most definitely be in effect to provide food for the masses which in turn would forge the extinction of other species. Our living counterparts would be deprived of their basic needs and they will eventually die out. This will ultimately lead to an imbalance in the number of predators and preys in the ecosystem which could harm us in the end. Greater use of petroleum and other organic compounds will take effect which will obviously open up more avenues for global warming. Increased use of food crops would also mean that our chances of using renewable biofuels would be
Moreover, overpopulation would give rise to destruction of forests. Natural forests act as reservoirs of carbon and they release fresh oxygen. Do we owe it to ourselves or our children to stop breathing the pure, fresh air and instead live in an environment with copious amounts of air pollution just for the sake of living longer? And I would be amiss to not state that life extension would result in unnecessary congestion which, almost indefinitely would cause more pollution in public areas. Another objectionable issue of life extension would most certainly be competition between the new generation and the old generation. Due to enhanced minds, bodies and knowledge of their profession, older people will be able to maintain their corporate positions and young, qualified people would be left depleted of their opportunity. This would cause societal unrest because the youth will not have means to support themselves. It could cause many people to resort to crime and theft to make ends meet. Aisha Tariq of the Pakistan times states, ‘When people are not provided with the basic necessities, it elevates