Not only is philosopher and author Patrick Linden the insightful co-host of the LEVITY podcast alongside me, Peter Ottsjö, but he’s also the perfect first guest in this inaugural episode.
We call it ”The Longevity Podcast”. There are pros and cons with that subtitle. On the one hand, ”longevity” is associated with hope and with health, both good things. On the other hand it can also mean different things to different people.
Some may, for example, advocate for enhancing healthspan without necessarily extending lifespan, suggesting a quality life limited to eight or nine decades, minimally burdened by the diseases of old age. Patrick and I diverge sharply from this perspective. For us, longevity means:
- Recognizing that life is inherently valuable and that death, at any age, is a loss. Or, as Patrick likes to say: Life is good and death is bad.
- Rejecting the notion that anyone should succumb to age-related diseases.
- Championing the cause to postpone death indefinitely.
Achieving this ageless era hinges not only on the advancement of science and the necessary funding but also on shifting societal mindsets.
This is where Patrick's prowess truly shines. Having lived and taught in the US, notably at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, his academic and philosophical insights challenge the prevailing norms.
In this episode, as well as in his provocative book The Case Against Death, Patrick challenges the pervasive ”wise view” that has been a cornerstone of Western philosophy since at least the days of Epicurus. This philosophical tradition, which spans millennia and includes many of Patrick's predecessors as well as some contemporaries, often portrays death as an inevitable, even natural part of life. Through his sharp analysis and moral reasoning, Patrick exposes the flaws in this view, urging us to rethink our acceptance of mortality as a foregone conclusion.
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