indefinitelife

Indefinitelife is a term used in speculative discussions to describe life that can persist for an indefinite period, either through continuous biological function without aging, or via non-biological substrates such as digital consciousness or synthetic systems. The term covers organisms or states in which aging is slowed, halted, or circumvented, and death is not predestined by natural processes.

The concept encompasses multiple conceptual paths, including biological approaches such as advanced regenerative medicine, gene therapies, and cellular rejuvenation that extend lifespan far beyond current limits; digital or robotic forms such as mind uploading, persistent artificial intelligences, and cybernetic life that maintain continuity through hardware and software.

Philosophical issues surround indefinitelife, including questions of personal identity and the criteria for consciousness over long timescales, as well as ethics and rights for indefinitely living beings or entities. Social and economic implications are also central, such as access and equity, intergenerational dynamics, and the potential effects on labor, taxation, and social services.

Science status: indefinitelife remains speculative. No proven method guarantees indefinite survival, and the practical realization would face biological, technological, and logistical challenges. Ongoing research in life extension, rejuvenation, and autonomous, resilient digital systems informs discussion, but consensus has not been reached.

See also: immortality, life extension, transhumanism, cryonics, digital immortality, brain-computer interfaces.