This blog post explores whether a life without death—eternal life—can bring true happiness to humans, and whether a boredom-free existence is possible.

Can eternal life truly make humanity happy?

Humankind has long dreamed of becoming ‘eternal beings’ and has relentlessly explored this possibility. From the legendary tale of Emperor Qin Shi Huang mobilizing vast resources in search of the elixir of immortality, to modern cryonics experiments, and even the ‘Blue Brain Project’ aiming to transcend death by simulating the human brain on a computer, humanity has persistently pursued overcoming death. Indeed, in 2013, the European Union decided to grant a 1 billion euro subsidy to this Blue Brain Project, clearly demonstrating the immense expectations people place on it.
Such examples reflect humanity’s perception of death as an ‘object to be overcome’ and mirror the fundamental human desire to escape biological limitations. Yet, regardless of wealth or poverty, the natural law that all living beings live only one life and ultimately face death cannot be evaded. But what if future science and technology succeeded in overcoming even this natural law and granted humans ‘eternal life’? Could humans truly be happy in such a world?

Heidegger’s Perspective: A Life Without Death Is Not Existence

Philosopher Martin Heidegger stated that for humans to live happily, they must ‘exist’. Here, existence does not simply mean the state of being alive, but rather ‘being properly present’ – that is, the state of actively recognizing and experiencing one’s own life. And as a prerequisite for this existence, Heidegger cited ‘pain’. He believed that humans only truly exist when they are capable of feeling pain.
According to Heidegger, the most essential and ultimate pain in life is ‘death’. He argued that when humans recognize the finitude of death, they come to value life more deeply and gain a clearer awareness of their own existence. In other words, death is not merely the end of life, but rather an element that imbues life itself with meaning, depth, and authenticity.
Heidegger also stated that the thought of death causes anxiety in humans. However, this anxiety is not a negative emotion but a creative energy that forces one to confront the essence of life. He believed that when experiencing the anxiety of death, humans break free from the meaningless and secondary things surrounding them and come to recognize the true meaning of life. Conversely, he warned that a life without death ultimately cannot exist; it would only repeat a hollow routine devoid of creativity and subjectivity.
According to his theory, humanity deprived of death becomes non-existent, and consequently, incapable of feeling happiness. Such a life would be a repetition of fleeting pleasures, trivial curiosities, and stimulating entertainment, ultimately leaving only boredom, futility, and wasted time.

Yuval Harari’s Position: Happiness is the Balance of Conditions and Expectations

Historian Yuval Noah Harari, in Sapiens, viewed happiness as determined by the interaction between ‘objective conditions’ and ‘subjective expectations’. Based on this definition, humans may experience happiness for a period by acquiring the new objective condition of ‘life without death’ through technological advancement. This is because a long-cherished ideal has been realized.
However, Harari warns this happiness will not last. Over time, humans become accustomed to new conditions, inevitably raising or distorting their subjective expectations. Ultimately, the condition of ‘life without death’ will also be accepted as a given at some point, and the initial awe or excitement it brings will fade.
Harari also warned, using Frankenstein as an example, that excessive human desire could instead create monsters. Immortality, too, is an ideal born from humanity’s excessive greed; regardless of its feasibility, it is a challenge accompanied by ethical and social risks.

Buddha’s Perspective: Happiness is Possible Through Liberation from Attachment

On the other hand, there is also the view that immortality could actually make happiness possible. Notably, Buddha (Sakyamuni), the founder of Buddhism, taught that true happiness is attained when one is liberated from suffering. He saw human suffering as stemming from attachment to ‘life’ itself, and believed that upon reaching the state of liberation (解脫), one could be happy without depending on any external conditions.
This perspective is diametrically opposed to Heidegger’s. While Heidegger argued that ‘one must cling to life and exist to be happy,’ the Buddha held that happiness is achievable ‘by letting go of attachment to life.’ This asserts that lasting happiness is possible through inner peace and the restraint of desires, regardless of whether the condition of eternal life exists.
If one were to attain eternal life while maintaining this state of liberation, it would hold the potential for humans to live a lifetime happily, free from suffering.

The Epicurean Insight: Attachment Leads to Emptiness

The ancient Greek Epicurean school also held that ‘desire and attachment’ cause human unhappiness. They believed that when humans become overly immersed in worldly values or pleasures, they ultimately reach feelings of boredom and emptiness. This aligns with what Heidegger previously pointed out as the harm of a life without death.
According to the Epicurean teachings, the key to happiness lies in the virtues of moderation in desire and contentment. This philosophy is similar to the Buddha’s concept of ‘liberation’. That is, happiness can be sustained even in eternal life through inner balance and mental autonomy, rather than external conditions.
Whereas Heidegger saw happiness achievable only through existence, the Buddha and the Epicureans assert that happiness is possible ‘even without existing, even without clinging to existence.’ This provides a philosophical counterexample to the claim that eternal life inevitably leads to unhappiness.

Improved Objective Conditions, Absolute Increase in Happiness?

Achieving eternal life signifies a dramatic improvement in the objective conditions of human existence. Compared to previous generations, human survival potential and available choices clearly increase. Yuval Harari has cited research suggesting medieval people felt greater happiness than we do today, but this study overlooked differences in happiness standards across eras.
While standards of happiness have changed relatively over time, absolute improvements in conditions have continued. Technological advancement, increased healthy lifespan, and expanded access to education and information are all factors that have fundamentally improved the quality of human life. Within this trajectory, ‘immortality’ could represent an unparalleled improvement in conditions.
Therefore, if we view happiness not as a simple matter of ‘satisfaction’ but as a question of the overall quality of life, immortality could clearly become an opportunity to lead to an increase in absolute happiness.

Conclusion: Eternal Life, Beyond the Dichotomy of Happiness and Unhappiness

“The reason humans are unhappy is death.” This proposition is difficult to accept as definitive. Similarly, the proposition “Eternal life is the reason humans are happy” is overly simplistic. However, the claim that “Eternal life grants humans the potential for happiness” is entirely valid.
Ultimately, human happiness depends less on the presence or absence of death, and more on how death is perceived and what attitude one adopts toward life. Even if eternal life were granted, it cannot be definitively claimed to necessarily bring unhappiness, nor does it automatically guarantee happiness. What matters is how one meaningfully fills that life, and who one chooses to be within it.
Eternal life, if we possess the philosophical, moral, and psychological readiness to bear it, can indeed make humans significantly happier beings.