TY - JOUR
T1 - Life extension and the burden of mortality : Leon Kass versus John Harris
AU - SAUCHELLI, Andrea
PY - 2014/5
Y1 - 2014/5
N2 - Some bioethicists have questioned the desirability of a line of biomedical research aimed at extending the length of our lives over what some think to be its natural limit. In particular, Leon Kass has argued that living longer is not such a great advantage, and that mortality is not a burden after all. In this essay, I evaluate his arguments in favour of such a counterintuitive view by elaborating upon some critical remarks advanced by John Harris. Ultimately, I argue that nothing substantial has been said by Kass to undermine the desirability of life-extending technologies.
AB - Some bioethicists have questioned the desirability of a line of biomedical research aimed at extending the length of our lives over what some think to be its natural limit. In particular, Leon Kass has argued that living longer is not such a great advantage, and that mortality is not a burden after all. In this essay, I evaluate his arguments in favour of such a counterintuitive view by elaborating upon some critical remarks advanced by John Harris. Ultimately, I argue that nothing substantial has been said by Kass to undermine the desirability of life-extending technologies.
UR - http://commons.ln.edu.hk/sw_master/755
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84899054174&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/medethics-2013-101438
DO - 10.1136/medethics-2013-101438
M3 - Journal Article (refereed)
C2 - 23698894
SN - 0306-6800
VL - 40
SP - 336
EP - 340
JO - Journal of Medical Ethics
JF - Journal of Medical Ethics
IS - 5
ER -