This is a lecture clip from my online Philosophy of Death and Dying course.

1. WHY IMMORTALITY IS NOT SO
BAD
John Martin Fischer

2. Williams’s Conditions for an
Attractive Immortality
1. The Identity Condition-the future person
must be genuinely identical to the individual
2. The Attractiveness Condition-the life of the
future person must be attractive to the
individual

3. Williams’s Dilemma
1. Either one’s character changes over time or it
does not.
2. If one’s character doesn’t change over time,
one’s experiences will eventually lead to
detachment and boredom.
3. If one’s character does change over time, one’s
future projects can’t give rise to categorical
desires now, since we lack the relevant character
for finding those projects desirable.
4. Thus, immortality is essentially unattractive.

4. “Endlessly Fascinating”
 Reliability-on balance, fascinating whenever
we engage in it
 Density-filled with fascinating moments,
whenever we engage in it
 Infinite Extensibility-at every moment
fascinating, endlessly pursued