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Is Concern With Overpopulation a Good Argument Against Radical Life Extension?

Is Concern With Overpopulation a Good Argument Against Radical Life Extension?

Maria Campo-Redondo, Gabriel Andrade
Copyright: © 2022 |Volume: 13 |Issue: 1 |Pages: 13
ISSN: 1947-3451|EISSN: 1947-346X|EISBN13: 9781683181675|DOI: 10.4018/IJT.312574
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MLA

Campo-Redondo, Maria, and Gabriel Andrade. "Is Concern With Overpopulation a Good Argument Against Radical Life Extension?." IJT vol.13, no.1 2022: pp.1-13. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJT.312574

APA

Campo-Redondo, M. & Andrade, G. (2022). Is Concern With Overpopulation a Good Argument Against Radical Life Extension?. International Journal of Technoethics (IJT), 13(1), 1-13. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJT.312574

Chicago

Campo-Redondo, Maria, and Gabriel Andrade. "Is Concern With Overpopulation a Good Argument Against Radical Life Extension?," International Journal of Technoethics (IJT) 13, no.1: 1-13. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJT.312574

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Abstract

Projects of radical life extension have been discussed amongst scientists for years. Some bioethicists express reservations about this endeavor. A common objection appeals to demography: if the human lifespan is dramatically expanded, humanity would face an overpopulation problem. In this essay, the authors reply to this objection. They posit that radical life extension is unlikely to lead to overpopulation because overpopulation is determined more by fertility rates than by longevity, and as a result of the advanced phases of industrialization, fertility rates are likely to be reduced, and therefore, population size would become stable. However, they argue that although overpopulation is not a concern for the foreseeable future, it is still important to acknowledge its potential harms. Finally, they argue that even if overpopulation becomes a problem caused by radical life extension, there are plausible ways to solve it.

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