We are creatures that can ponder the infinite, that can contemplate the concept of infinity, that can trace the origins of the individual atoms that make up the human body to the furnaces of stars billions of years ago. But yet at the same time, we are immediately aware of our own inevitable demise.

There is something beautiful about this immediate awareness. It gives us a sense of urgency to establish the foundations of our lives. It gives us the need to finish projects and goals within the time-frame which constricts our lives. Without this knowledge, we may never actually accomplish what we set out to do. Despite the inherent motivation that this awareness provides to us, it may be time for humans to abandon this sense. Given the advances in biotechnology, it is highly possible for humans to achieve the concept that was once only reserved for the novels of science-fiction: immortality.

Throughout human history, we have developed religions and philosophies to help ourselves cope with the unnerving fact and inevitability of our demise. I often believe that it is a suppressed desire of human beings to want to achieve immortality through our religions, stories and philosophies, so we develop such means of interpretation and comfort. But ultimately through these means, human beings have consequently come to accept the occurrence of aging and death as a natural process of human life. I believe that we should begin to step away and abandon this mindset. My opinion on death can best be summed up by the words of Alan Harrington from "The Immortalist" when he says, “Death has become an imposition on the human race and is no longer acceptable.” We are all given only one opportunity to enjoy and experience the wonders that life has to give, and we should by all means do everything within our grasp of knowledge and power to prevent our premature demise.

Is it that I am afraid of death that I advocate for the abolishment of such a frame of thinking? My answer is no. Death is indeed an inevitable consequence of being a living, breathing organism. And I have accepted this reality because even the Universe itself will not last forever. In the distant future, the Universe will have expanded far enough to a point where there will no longer be sufficient forces to sustain any fusion at the core of stars, and eventually the Universe will become a dark, cold, inhospitable place for humans. But how can I be so accepting of death but yet adamantly opposed to it? This leads me to this conclusion: death, although inevitable, should not be brought upon us and imposed on us by a universal biological process. Aging is preventable and treatable. We have a sufficient database of scientific minds that are capable of developing technology to do so. And we must act on this, to ensure everyone's right to a life can be fulfilled.