Finitelife

Finitelife is a concept used in philosophy, biology, computer science, and speculative fiction to describe entities whose existence is bounded by a finite lifespan. The term fuses finitude with life and is employed to analyze implications of limited longevity across different domains.

In biology, finitelife refers to organisms whose lifespans are programmed or constrained by genetic, cellular, or physiological factors, resulting in predictable mortality. In philosophy and ethics, it is used to explore how bounded lifespans affect decision making, prioritization, intergenerational responsibilities, and concepts of value over time. In economics and resource theory, it helps model strategies under strict lifetime constraints.

In computing and simulation, finitelife describes virtual agents or digital beings assigned a predetermined number of cycles or time steps, used to study turnover, aging dynamics, and population management without real-world lifespans.

In fiction and cultural discourse, finitelife appears as a narrative and speculative device to examine attitudes toward death, the desirability of immortality technologies, and the social consequences of finite timelines on institutions such as education, labor, and governance.

Critics argue that finitelife is not a single, unified theory but a family of ideas that intersect biology, ethics, and information systems; definitions vary by field. The concept remains a useful lens for examining how limits on life expectancy shape behavior, planning, and policy.