Sempre Viva!

 In 1900, the average life expectancy was around 45.  Now in 2011 the average life expectancy is double that give or take a few years depending on country.  Life Expectancy has been growing higher and higher over time and if the trend follows at the same rate then by 2100 the average life expectancy should be at least 150 years old maybe more.

Now despite all the advancements in science you have two questions we should ask, 3 if you want to be a bit Machiavellian:

1. How long can we actually live for?
2. How long would you actually want to live for?
3. How long are we meant to live for?

The first is obviously limited by our advancements of medical science, our environment and our determination to stay alive.  The second and third questions open philosophical debate and let us discuss it on a more abstract level.

Would you actually want to live forever?  If we did we would need to expand to other planets and reach out amongst the stars because this planet just isn't big enough. Estimates of "the total number of people who have ever lived" published in the first decade of the 21st century range approximately from 100 to 115 billion.  If we didn't die, with a population that large imagine the birth rate?  Our current global birth rate is approximately 23 births per 1,000 people per year.  If there was no such thing as death, and our populous was 115 billion then our birth rate would be 2.6 billion per year.  The planet simply could not take it.

Makes you wonder though, knowing this and knowing the limit of our planet and it being the only one we have, if we did discover a way to live forever: would we be allowed to use it?


That brings us to the final question, how long are we meant to live, and has someone already answered this question for us - someone of an Earthbound nature - embrace your darker side if you will in contemplation of your answer.