Is ageing still undesirable? A reply to Räsänen

J Med Ethics. 2023 Oct 16:jme-2023-109607. doi: 10.1136/jme-2023-109607. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

We have recently stated the reasons why we claim that biological ageing is undesirable. Räsänen has responded to our article by arguing that this process has certain desirable aspects and, therefore, our position is inconsistent. Räsänen develops two arguments to defend his position. We will call the first the argument from the totality of the ageing process and the second the argument from the reduced goods of the ageing process. In this reply, we will give reasons to show that both arguments fail. The first, on the one hand, starts from a dubious conception of ageing and, on the other hand, even accepting this conception, its reformulation is morally empty. The second incurs in an absurd conclusion.

Keywords: Aged; Ethics- Medical.