Life Extension and Overpopulation: Demography, Morals, and the Malthusian Objection

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Bioethics

Background:

• Concerns exist that life extension technologies may cause severe overpopulation.
• This presents both demographic and moral challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the demographic impacts of life extension.
• To analyze the moral implications of potential overpopulation due to life extension.

Main Methods:

• An updated demographic projection formula was developed, incorporating non-aging related mortality.
• The revised formula was used to model population changes under various life extension scenarios.

Main Results:

• Moderate life extension (120 years) shows minimal population increase at developed world fertility rates.
• Radical life extension (1000 years) can lead to severe overpopulation, even with low fertility rates.
• The formula identifies fertility rates and birth spacing to mitigate overpopulation risks.

Conclusions:

• Life extension's demographic impact is contingent on the degree of extension and fertility rates.
• Moral objections to radical life extension arise if overpopulation negates its benefits.
• The study addresses and defends reproductive policies aimed at preventing overpopulation from life extension.