A Look Back at Deathism
Michael Anissimov here looks back at deathism past: "One of the more memorable life extension debates I've been to was a summer 2007 meeting of the Bay Area Future Salon where Aubrey de Grey went up against William Hurlbut, who used to work under Leon Kass on Bush's Religious Right-dominated President's Council on Bioethics. Unlike Kass, who is laughed at and rejected by mainstream bioethics for his nutty, highly quotable opinions (much to the disappointment of Wesley J. Smith), Hurlbut is somewhat more sane-sounding. He is intellectual and often presents his ideas using reasonable rather than bombastic uber-conservative language. ... Read up on the debate between Aubrey and Hurlbut at Future Current. Hurlbut was being so sincere and honest that I almost felt sorry for him trying to argue his points in a room full of transhumanists. But then again, he wants us all to die at a predetermined age, so you can’t have too much pity. If I may be allowed to suggest a motto for Hurlbut's philosophy: 'Be a man. Die.'"