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Immortality <span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>  Immortality refers to the concept of eternal life. Throughout human history immortality has been sought after by religious followers, scientists, and anyone seeking to extend their time on Earth or achieve life beyond this one. Whether immortality can be truly attained and how it can be achieved is much debated, some believe reincarnation offers a measure of immortality and others still believe that technology will be the true means of achieving near immortality. In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the search for immortality through science seems increasingly attainable with ever advancing knowledge about human genetics and medical breakthroughs in the treatment of disease.
Immortality ConceptsSpiritual Immortality – In certain religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam for example, there is a fundamental belief that the soul is immortal, incapable of dying. Though the body dies, the soul may go on to live in another form. This is not related to reincarnation. Magical Immortality – Certain ancient beliefs attribute immortality to certain individuals or suggest immortality can be gained by possessing an object like the Holy Grail or drinking from the mythical fountain of youth. Technological Immortality – Many scientists believe immortality may one day be achieved through replacing damaged organs with mechanical or inorganic counterparts, transferring the brain into a new body or machine, or through cloning methods that allow the mind to be transferred into a new body based on the original. FictionImmortality plays out in fiction in a few variants. Is the character unaging? Will the character only not die of old age, or is he or she (or it) indestructible as well? Can an undead character (like a vampire) be considered immortal, or do you actually have to be alive for it to count? The immortality may be inherent, or may require renewal in some way. The life of an immortal can be a lonely one, as they watch the people they love age and die. If the immortality can be given to another person (even if the person is unwilling) in some way, that may be a significant plot point. There may also be a considerable price to pay to obtain the immortality. If the undead count, Dracula can be considered immortal (although not indestructible). H. Rider Haggard's She Who Must Be Obeyed is immortal. Captain Jack Harkness on Torchwood can't die, and recovers from any injury. Highlander is a popular franchise about immortals.
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Related Terms and ArticlesExternal LinksTo see specific information, such as individual books, characters, and movies, please click the Immortality category link at the bottom of this article. To see other articles that reference Immortality, please click the What Links Here tool in the toolbox at the bottom of this page.
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