In this blog post, we philosophically explore whether the dream of eternal life, which science and technology might realize, can bring true happiness.
The German philosopher Schopenhauer stated that all living beings possess a ‘blind will to live’. Indeed, looking at world history, there are many instances where humans have demonstrated a strong will to live. China’s Qin Shi Huang sought the elixir of immortality to escape the fear of death, and the mummies of ancient Egypt also symbolically represent humanity’s desire for eternal life. Even in modern times, humans have not abandoned their yearning for immortality. Examples include the ‘Avatar Project,’ spearheaded by Russian media mogul Dmitry Itskov, which aims to develop perpetually functioning bodies and immortal artificial brains. But would fulfilling this desire truly make us happier? Heidegger’s ontology suggests the answer might be ‘no’.
According to Heidegger’s ontology, true happiness can only be attained by living an ‘authentic life’. Heidegger believed authentic life becomes possible only when one confronts death and realizes the finitude of time. This authentic life, or existential life, refers to a life where one assigns meaning to one’s own existence and sets goals aligned with that meaning and values. Human existence is ultimately destined to perish, and no one can take one’s place. Those who fail to grasp the finitude of time think they can do what they haven’t done later, leading to a purposeless and meaningless life. If such a life persists, it will be difficult to feel happiness. If we achieve immortality through science and technology, we would no longer need to recognize our finitude. As a result, we would lose sight of the preciousness of time and the meaning of life, ultimately becoming unhappy.
Imagine an immortal scientist. If science and technology granted them eternal life, that scientist could utilize infinite time to conduct vast research. However, research outcomes tend to be superior when driven by strong will and clear goal-setting. Living forever would make it difficult to maintain strong will or purpose, and we cannot assume such a life would be happier.
This argument resonates intuitively. Yet few live truly existential lives. Those who genuinely grasp Heidegger’s ontology or existentialism are likely those facing imminent death. In ‘The Top Five Regrets of the Dying’ by Bronnie Ware, a nurse who cared for terminally ill patients in Australia, the two greatest regrets expressed by patients facing their end were ‘not living the life they wanted’ and ‘not working harder to find happiness.’ This shows that it is precisely those who recognize death who realize the need to live existentially and strive for happiness.
While Heidegger argued that meaningful action enables us to experience existence and happiness, others like Epicurus emphasized a passive hedonism focused on eliminating pain and sorrow to pursue tranquility. He claimed happiness comes not from giving life meaning or setting goals, but from doing nothing at all. Yuval Noah Harari states in his book Sapiens, “Through Buddhist meditation, realizing the fleeting nature of emotions that constantly arise and vanish allows one to simply let those emotions flow by, and that is the most peaceful and happy state.” But could one truly feel happiness by doing nothing at all for an entire lifetime? Probably not.
Human daily life cannot consist solely of meditation all day long. The state of doing nothing may last only a very brief moment or may not exist at all. Let us revisit Heidegger’s existential philosophy. Korean writer Kim Kwang-sik stated in his book ‘Philosophizing with Kim Kwang-seok’: “If you imagine you will die in a month, every moment becomes time that will never return, and even if you live just one day, you will live with your whole being. This is precisely the existential act of living properly.” In reality, many people, if they do not fill their time with actions aligned with their values, may initially feel calm and happy, but will eventually experience boredom and anxiety. Even if one cannot live each day with utter dedication, a life spent doing nothing, succumbing to boredom and anxiety, is far removed from an existential life.
Ultimately, we examined the impact of eternal life created by science and technology on happiness through Heidegger’s philosophy. In eternal time, we lose our existential life, and consequently, we would not be happy. Heidegger’s argument warns that eternal life could make humans unhappy. Human life need not necessarily pursue happiness, but given the choice between unhappiness and happiness, most would choose happiness. If eternal life carries the potential for greater unhappiness, we must question the path science and technology are taking toward immortality.
