Deck 20: Immortality, Boredom, and Standing for Something

Question 1

According to Bernard Williams, immortality would...

A) Necessarily undermine our ability to meaningfully relate to the world
B) Necessarily undermine the value in the world
C) Require us to adopt certain inexhaustible ends to be meaningful
D) Just represent a different form of life
E) None of the above

Answer 1

Necessarily undermine our ability to meaningfully relate to the world

Question 2

According to the Value-Filled World Argument

A) It seems possible for someone to live a meaningful immortal life, given that the world necessarily has value in it.
B) It seems possible for someone to live a meaningful immortal life, given that everyone can necessarily engage with value.
C) It seems possible for someone to live a meaningful immortal life, given the seemingly endless amount of value there is in the world.
D) None of the above

Answer 2

It seems possible for someone to live a meaningful immortal life, given the seemingly endless amount of value there is in the world.

Question 3

What leads Beglin to doubt the Necessary Boredom Thesis?

A) He doubts that the world has a limited amount of value in it.
B) He doubts that what makes life meaningful for us would necessarily be undermined by immortal existence
C) He doubts EM's boredom was the consequence of something contingent
D) He doubts that there is something about how we mortals currently relate to the world that is necessary for living a meaningful life.
E) None of the above

Answer 3

He doubts that there is something about how we mortals currently relate to the world that is necessary for living a meaningful life.

Question 4

According to Beglin, why does immortal life threaten us with boredom?

A) Because there is nothing to which we could indefinitely commit ourselves
B) Because immortality would dilute the significance of our commitments
C) Because our imaginative capacities are limited
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 5

What is the lingering hope that Beglin identifies with respect to his argument that immortality would dilute the significance of our commitments?

A) Perhaps we could live meaningful lives with a radically different way of relating to the world
B) Perhaps we could commit ourselves to certain abstract, inexhaustible ends, without having to commit to anything new.
C) Perhaps substantive commitments aren't made against a background of finitude.
D) None of the above

Question 6

What is Williams' Necessary Boredom Thesis, and how does the Value-Filled World Argument aim to undermine it? Explain why the Value-Filled World Argument doesn't work, according to Beglin. Nevertheless, Beglin doubts the Necessary Boredom Thesis. Explain his doubts. Do you find them compelling? Why or why not?

Question 7

Why does Beglin think that we'd likely become bored if we lived forever? Explain his reasoning. Next, explain the lingering hope that Beglin considers in section 7. How is this hope meant to address his worry? Why doesn't he think that this hope is ultimately reassuring? Do you find Beglin's position convincing? Explain.