The Badness of Death, Part III; Immortality, Part I
The session examines if pre-birth non-existence is bad, referencing Nagle, Feldman, and Parfit. It then initiates an exploration of immortality, considering its desirability under various conditions and Bernard Williams's critique of eternal life.
The discussion of the badness of death continues by asking whether it is bad that we do not exist before our birth. The views of a number of contemporary philosophers, such as Tom Nagle, Fred Feldman, and Derek Parfit, are introduced. Then Professor Kagan turns to the subject of immortality. Would it be desirable to live forever, and if so, under what circumstances one might enjoy such a prolonged existence? The lecture concludes with Bernard Williams' take on immortality which posits that no kind of human life can continue to be enjoyable and attractive for eternity.
The Badness of Death, Part II: The Deprivation Account
Next · Lecture 19Immortality Part II; The Value of Life, Part I