In this blog post, we’ll imagine a future where advances in science and technology have made eternal life possible, and explore whether eternal life can truly bring happiness to humanity.
Since the Scientific Revolution began some 500 years ago, science has built a dazzling civilization. Science has enabled humanity to achieve remarkable economic growth and has contributed to protecting people from disease and significantly increasing average life expectancy. So, what if science and technology advance further and an era arrives in which humans can live forever? While this may sound somewhat unrealistic now, given the pace of modern scientific and technological progress, it is difficult to completely rule out the possibility that it could become a reality in the distant future. Since immortality is not merely a fantasy but a topic with real potential, it is necessary to consider in advance what consequences might arise if it were to become a reality. Both in the past and today, many people have vaguely assumed that “if we were immortal, we would be happy.” Just as Emperor Qin Shi Huang of ancient China searched for the elixir of life in his quest for immortality, countless people have long yearned for eternal life. So, if that dream were to actually come true, would humanity truly become happier?
To answer this question, we must first examine what happiness is. Generally, happiness is defined as “subjective well-being.” Happiness refers to the immediate emotions and long-term satisfaction one feels regarding the course of one’s life. In Yuval Harari’s ‘Sapiens’, he explains that happiness is not determined solely by objective conditions such as wealth, health, or community, but is largely influenced by the relationship between those objective conditions and an individual’s subjective expectations. In other words, an individual’s level of expectation plays a crucial role in feeling happiness. The greater the gap between objective reality and subjective expectations, the more likely one’s sense of happiness is to diminish. Even if two students take the same exam, a student who studied very little might be satisfied with a score of 80, while a student who prepared diligently and expected a perfect score might be deeply disappointed with the same 80. Furthermore, as social beings, humans’ expectations are often shaped by comparisons with those around them.
Now, let’s assume that science and technology capable of granting humans eternal life have been developed. But what if only a select few could access that technology? Anyone who fears death would naturally want to enjoy eternal life through such scientific advancements. However, the majority of people who do not benefit from it would also harbor expectations of eternal life, and they are likely to feel even greater despair when faced with a reality that fails to meet those expectations. Even today, people often feel unhappy when comparing themselves to the wealthy and successful individuals portrayed in the media. If people were to experience inequality even regarding the most fundamental issues of life and death, the overall happiness of humanity would likely decrease. So, if eternal life were granted to everyone rather than being a privilege reserved for a select few, would humanity become happier?
As we’ve seen earlier, subjective expectations are a crucial factor in human happiness. And those expectations are greatly influenced by one’s surroundings. In a society where everyone is immortal, eternal life itself would no longer be something special but rather a given. Of course, even if science and technology overcome aging and disease, we cannot assume that the possibility of death from accidents or unforeseen disasters will completely disappear. In such a society, the death of a loved one could be experienced as a far greater shock and source of unhappiness than it is today. While the death of a loved one already brings deep sorrow, in a society where eternal life is taken for granted, the gap between reality and expectation becomes much wider, so the sense of loss will also feel far greater than it does now. Conversely, simply continuing to live without any accidents would amount to nothing more than the fulfillment of a basic expectation, so it would be difficult to derive greater happiness from that alone. Just as people’s levels of happiness did not fundamentally change significantly even after the French Revolution, immortality is also likely to be accepted as a basic condition of life over time. Instead, death caused by an unexpected accident would be perceived as an even greater misfortune, and to avoid such risks, people might choose to lead more passive lives. Ultimately, eternal life may not make humanity happier; rather, it could become a condition that makes it harder to attain happiness. Eternal life may ultimately hinder the path to happiness.
Epicurus argued that there is no need to fear death. He believed that fear of death suppresses pleasure and creates an obsession with constantly living virtuously; therefore, only by freeing oneself from this fear can one truly approach happiness. The happiness Epicurus spoke of is ataraxia. Ataraxia refers to a state of mind in which one is free from attachment and desire, accepts one’s current state as it is, and enjoys inner peace. The state of existing unshakably, free from worldly desires and envy, is precisely the happiness Epicurus spoke of. If, as he argued, one were to live eternally without any attachment or desire—and even free from the fear of death—humans might indeed enjoy happiness in eternal peace. From this perspective, eternal life might indeed have the potential to make humanity happier.
However, happiness is not a concept that can be explained solely by emotional satisfaction. To discuss happiness, we must also consider rational aspects such as the meaning and value of life. Perhaps true happiness stems not from emotional pleasure, but from the meaning and value inherent in life itself.
Before discussing true happiness, we need to reconsider what death currently means to humans. Does death simply signify the end of life, and is it a reality that brings only unhappiness to humans? In Kim Kwang-sik’s ‘Philosophizing with Kim Kwang-seok’, the author introduces Heidegger’s perspective on life and death. Heidegger distinguished between authentic life and inauthentic life. Inauthentic life is a life lived merely by inertia, without deeply reflecting on one’s own existence. It refers to a life spent chasing only sensational things, content to satisfy superficial curiosity, and passing time in a state of emptiness and boredom. In such a life, the value and weight of human existence disappear, making it impossible to attain true happiness.
Heidegger argues that to escape this inauthentic life, one must experience death. Here, “experiencing death” does not mean actually dying, but rather recognizing in advance—through the emotion of anxiety—that death will inevitably come someday and accepting it as part of one’s own life. By being conscious of death, humans realize that their time is finite and become aware of just how hollow an inauthentic life truly is. As a result, rather than passively drifting through the world, humans become capable of actively shaping their lives according to their own interests and purposes. In other words, humans become existential beings who live their lives autonomously. Heidegger viewed the process of restoring this authentic life as the very path toward a free and happy life.
Thus, for humans living within finite time, death does not simply signify misfortune. Rather, it serves as a mirror that reflects life, guiding humans toward living an authentic life. It is precisely because death exists that humans come to realize the emptiness of an inauthentic life and are able to live freely according to their own purposes and values. From this perspective, it is difficult to say that death is merely a force that makes our present lives miserable.
So what if the human desire to live long were to reach its peak, and scientific and technological advancements made eternal life possible? Would humans truly become happier simply because they could live forever? The disappearance of inevitable death also means the disappearance of the mirror that prompts us to reflect on our lives. If humans could live endlessly, through what means would they discover the meaning of their lives? With the certainty that every day—just like today—will repeat endlessly, could we truly live each day to the fullest? Wouldn’t we instead end up wasting time chasing only the most stimulating experiences? Just as the fact that love must inevitably end one day makes it all the more precious, it is precisely because our lives have an end that we can cherish every moment and live freely and fully toward our own purpose. An endless life makes it difficult for humans to live their true, authentic lives and may ultimately cause happiness to slip further and further away.
Even if an era arrives in which scientific and technological advancements enable humanity to achieve eternal life, it is difficult to conclude with certainty that this would make people happier. From our current perspective as mortals, it is easy to assume that we would be happier if we could live forever. However, this is merely the result of projecting our present selves onto a hypothetical future. In reality, people living in a society where everyone is immortal would exist within an environment and set of values entirely different from our own. Even if people today would feel unhappy if they were transported back to the Joseon Dynasty—a time without electricity, the internet, or running water—that does not necessarily mean people of the Joseon Dynasty were less happy than people today. Similarly, just because we cannot achieve immortality now does not mean we can definitively conclude that people in a future society where immortality is possible will necessarily be happier.
As we have seen, in a society where immortality is possible, it is highly likely that people’s subjective expectations will simply rise. As expectations rise, the unhappiness felt when those expectations are not met will grow even greater, and people may choose to lead more passive lives to avoid such unhappiness. Furthermore, within an endlessly repeating cycle of time, it becomes difficult to find meaning in life, and there is a possibility that humans will end up chasing only sensational experiences, repeating a life that is hollow and meaningless. Because our current lives have an end, we can recognize the emptiness of an inauthentic life, freely shape the world according to our own purposes, and live an authentic life—in other words, a truly happy life. Just as darkness allows us to appreciate the value of light, our lives can be all the more beautiful and happy precisely because they have an end.
