Immortality

Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of existing for a potentially infinite, or indeterminate length, of time. Throughout history, humans have had the desire to live forever. What form an unending or indefinitely-long human life would take, has been the subject of much speculation, fantasy, and debate.

Related Topics:
Infinite - History - Human

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A common concept of immortality is a continued spiritual existence, after bodily death. Many people believe in this type of immortality (a philosophy of dualism and/or belief in the Immortal Soul) today, as it is a dogma of most every sect of each of the two largest institutions of faith, Islam and Christianity; also including fundamental, ancient Judaism. (The Hebrew patriarchs, and those of their descendants who were and are like-minded, know that Yah's (their God) gifts are irrevocable, and that we are never going to really "die" (as in "non-existence"); we are all going to live forever (because life was originally a "gift" of God; it can never be "taken back").

Related Topics:
Spiritual - Death - Dualism - Immortal Soul - Dogma - Sect - Faith - Islam - Christianity

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Others believe that they can achieve "immortality" through their "legacy", and through the achievements that they leave behind (a common belief, sometimes called, "the gospel of good works"). This view of immortality is different from others, in that it places value, not on the continuity of one's physical, spiritual, or intellectual "self", but rather on how one will be remembered by generations to come. ("His or her good works 'live on' in the world, for us to remember them by".) This view of immortality is embraced in many Jewish and humanistic philosophies. Another view of immortality concentrates on leaving offspring, or immortality via evolution, which is curiously similar to Richard Dawkins' theory of the selfish gene ("you never really quite die; as long as there is some of your genetic material left behind in this world").

Related Topics:
Self - Jewish - Humanistic - Philosophies - Evolution - Richard Dawkins - Selfish gene

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However, there has always been a different breed of "immortalist", one who believes it may be possible to avoid bodily death altogether. These people believe in the possibility of immortality in a physical sense; rather than, or in addition to immortality in a spiritual sense. Gilgamesh was one such as this; as well as many European and Chinese alchemists. (Gunpowder was said to have been invented by Chinese alchemists, in pursuit of immortality). An entire cycle, or cycles of Arthurian legend exist in the British Isles, including the "Knights of the Round Table" going in search for the "holy grail"; supposedly, the chalice from which Jesus and His disciples drank from, at the "Last Supper". Juan Ponce de Leon supposedly was pursuing the "fountain of youth" when he travelled to Florida, in 1513. In more recent times, people have had their dead bodies frozen and kept at low temperatures, in the hopes that advances in medical science/technology will allow them to be unfrozen, cured, and restored to health, decades later (or at some point in the possible future).

Related Topics:
Immortalist - Gilgamesh - Alchemists - Gunpowder - Jesus - Disciples - Last Supper - Juan Ponce de Leon - Fountain of youth - Florida - 1513 - Frozen

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