Literature, Film, and the Desirability of Life Extension
by Charlotte Dewarumez
Report of the Literature, Film, and the Desirability of Life Extension conference held on December 2nd, 2025 at University of Oxford.
The aim of this interdisciplinary conference was to examine representations of life extension in literature and cinema, and to consider how these narratives can inform current debates on the desirability of life extension as envisioned by contemporary biotechnologies. A further objective was to explore the contribution of artistic media to debates within the Medical Humanities – an aspect that particularly resonated with me as an art historian working of scientific visual culture.
The event proved how complex the idea of life extension really is. The term itself can mean very different things: does it refer to prolonged youth, to immortality, or even to the preservation of one’s memory after death? This conceptual flexibility allowed speakers to engage with a wide range of representations of ageing and mortality. At the same time, it made the conversation harder to bring together. While a clearer definition of the term might have led to firmer conclusions, it is hard to imagine a definition on which all speakers could have agreed. Still, they converged on one point: life extension may be far less positive that it initially appears. Several recurring questions emerged throughout the event.
Most speakers focused on the personal implications of extending life. Several suggested that a never-ending life could lead to a form of existential boredom: if our choices feel meaningful because they are limited, then the awareness of death is part of what gives life its intensity and authenticity. One view held that an individual would change so profoundly over the centuries that they could no longer be considered the same person. Another view suggested the opposite – that an immortal individual might remain stuck in old frameworks of thought and gradually lose touch with an evolving society. I found the tension between these two positions particularly stimulating. The question of self-continuity was also addressed in more practical terms: how much of a person can be lost and replaced – through technological intervention, for instance – before they are no longer the same individual?
The environmental and social consequences of life extension – such as overpopulation, unequal access to technologies, and the depletion of resources – were addressed only briefly, and would perhaps have deserved a more prominent place in the discussions. This may offer an opportunity to further develop the themes of the conference, especially since these concerns are already central to contemporary bioethics and richly explored in many works of art – for example, Altered Carbon by R.K. Morgan (2002), The Postmortal by D. Magary (2011), as well as the movies Gattaca (1997) and In Time (2011), both directed by Andrew Niccol. It would be worthwhile to examine this topic in future events.
Some presentations addressed the question of interpersonal relationships in the context of life extension. Extending life could shift the balance between generations and alter the pace of relationships. It raises important questions about the significance of love, family and care in a post-human world. The theme of solitude also emerged: in literature and cinema, immortals are often depicted surrounded by mortals. Their existence is thus marked by grief and loss, and it is precisely this type of suffering that often drives the desire to return to mortality, when such a possibility exists. Immortals thus occupy a liminal position within social groups, never fully able to engage with others on the same level. In this sense, the pursuit of life beyond natural limits raises profound questions about the social and emotional structures that make human life meaningful. Fiction proves particularly valuable for examining this subject.
Furthermore, several speakers addressed the notion of posterity. In this context, life extension is understood not biologically, but as the continuity of the self through the traces one leaves for future generations via stories and art. Cinema, in particular, can be seen as a form of life extension, since one’s image and memory in motion persist long after death. The discussions also highlighted cultural differences in the conception of death: debates about prolonging existence are largely framed within a Western theoretical perspective, whereas in other cultures, death is not seen as an absolute end but as part of a broader continuity within the universe.
From my perspective as an art historian, the intersection of multiple media, time periods, and topics was intellectually stimulating, but too broad to allow for definitive conclusions. Nevertheless, literature and cinema clearly offer valuable tools for exploring questions surrounding life extension. Fiction provides a safe space to imagine hypothetical scenarios. It makes complex ethical issues understandable for the public, and emotionally accessible: by examining contemporary concerns through individual characters, audiences develop a more concrete and empathetic understanding of what is at stake.
In the context of life extension, literature and film often serve as cautionary tools, warning against exceeding the boundaries of what makes us human. From the various talks, it emerged that extending life may be alienating, as it risks removing what is central to human experience – meaningful desires and relationships. As philosopher Robert Eaglestone observed during his presentation, “an extension of life can give you more years, but it won’t give you more life.” Finally, our sense of existence is shaped by the stories we construct for ourselves; thus, what would become of these narratives if they had no end? Literature, cinema, and other narrative forms are particularly well suited to address questions of life extension and immortality precisely because they are designed to construct, explore, and reflect on human stories.
Medical Humanities Hub, TORCH Research Hubs
