Stephen Cave
Thursday, 10 May 2012, 16:00, Large Operon, EMBL Heidelberg
Stephen Cave, philosopher and writer
Deadly Elixir: Science and the Promise of Immortality
Abstract
Science promises progress. And progress, especially for the biological sciences, means longer and healthier lives. Many see the natural end of this story as the total conquest of death and disease - immortality. But immortality cannot and will not ever be ours. It is not only a false promise, but a dangerous one.
Biography
Stephen Cave is an English author and philosopher who writes on a wide range of philosophical, ethical and scientific subjects. His essays, views and reviews have appeared in many newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times and Financial Times. He first earned a PhD in philosophy from the University of Cambridge, then subsequently spent some years in the British Diplomatic Service before taking up writing full time.
Stephen's book, Immortality: The Quest to Live Forever and How it Drives Civilization, is an inter-disciplinary exploration of the pursuit of everlasting life. It shows that there are exactly four ways in which cultures throughout history have pursued the quest to live forever - and that we can now see which of these four have a chance of success. It will be published in April 2012.