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[Transcending death:the search for eternity]
1Faculté des sciences infirmières de l'Université Laval.
The Canadian Nurse
|January 4, 2001
Summary
Modern society denies aging, pursuing present immortality through beauty, youth, and high performance. Despite efforts to escape mortality, science and technology increasingly view birth and death as solvable medical issues.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Philosophy of Medicine
- Cultural Studies
Background:
- Contemporary society exhibits a pronounced denial of aging and mortality.
- There is a cultural emphasis on maintaining youth, beauty, and high performance.
- Individuals seek to achieve immortality in the present rather than anticipating a future afterlife.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the societal implications of denying aging and mortality.
- To explore the cultural drive towards present-day immortality.
- To examine the role of science and technology in reframing life's fundamental limits.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of societal trends and cultural values.
- Philosophical examination of the concept of mortality.
- Review of technological and scientific advancements related to longevity and life extension.
Main Results:
- Societal focus on immediate gratification, power, consumption, and virtual escapism reflects a denial of death.
- The pursuit of present immortality can foster a sense of omnipotence but does not negate fundamental mortality.
- Birth and death are increasingly medicalized, perceived as problems solvable by science and technology.
Conclusions:
- The denial of aging and death is a significant cultural phenomenon.
- Technological and scientific advancements are shaping perceptions of life and death.
- Despite societal shifts, human mortality remains an inescapable aspect of existence.