Page 111 - Petelin, Ana. 2020. Ed. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije / Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 111
https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-015-8.109-114
Egalitarian distribution of health
maintenance using technologies
for life extension
Martin Lipovšek
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Aškerčeva cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
martin.lipovsek@gmail.com
Abstract
Background and purpose: Background of our paper is the thesis that,
under certain conditions, life-extension medical technologies should
be available to all citizens through free public health care. The purpose
of the proposed thesis is multifaceted. First, by offering life extension,
which we define as medical and pharmacological therapies that work
against the biological aging process and some of which can be expected
in the near future, we would maintain and strengthen the health of
the population - including the working population. As a result of these
interventions in the body, this population would be more vital in old
age and could thus remain active for a longer period of time. Secondly,
prolonging life is something that the majority of the population wants
- to be healthy and live longer. This thesis can be firmly supported by
empirical sociological research. And third, if prolonging life under
certain conditions, the main condition of which is recalculated financial
eligibility, would be part of public health (and not just what only the rich
can buy), it would satisfy our idea of s ocial justice as we can perceive it
through egalitarian political-philosophical theories. Presentation of the
content: For the above thesis it is possible to present arguments for and
against. If we rely on the tradition of the liberal philosophical position
represented by John Rawls, we can defend the position presented above.
The main argument here is the application of the veil of ignorance to the
concrete question of the fair distribution of medical devices. But there
are also arguments from some other ethical and political-philosophical
traditions. The concept of justice in prolonging life has been extensively
written about by dr. Adrian Bunn, to whom we also refer in the article.
Conclusions: With the expected arrival of life extension, new questions
open up and new ethical and political-philosophical dilemmas emerge.
One of these new questions is whether or not to provide some of these
new technologies to all citizens to choose freely. The liberal political-
Egalitarian distribution of health
maintenance using technologies
for life extension
Martin Lipovšek
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Aškerčeva cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
martin.lipovsek@gmail.com
Abstract
Background and purpose: Background of our paper is the thesis that,
under certain conditions, life-extension medical technologies should
be available to all citizens through free public health care. The purpose
of the proposed thesis is multifaceted. First, by offering life extension,
which we define as medical and pharmacological therapies that work
against the biological aging process and some of which can be expected
in the near future, we would maintain and strengthen the health of
the population - including the working population. As a result of these
interventions in the body, this population would be more vital in old
age and could thus remain active for a longer period of time. Secondly,
prolonging life is something that the majority of the population wants
- to be healthy and live longer. This thesis can be firmly supported by
empirical sociological research. And third, if prolonging life under
certain conditions, the main condition of which is recalculated financial
eligibility, would be part of public health (and not just what only the rich
can buy), it would satisfy our idea of s ocial justice as we can perceive it
through egalitarian political-philosophical theories. Presentation of the
content: For the above thesis it is possible to present arguments for and
against. If we rely on the tradition of the liberal philosophical position
represented by John Rawls, we can defend the position presented above.
The main argument here is the application of the veil of ignorance to the
concrete question of the fair distribution of medical devices. But there
are also arguments from some other ethical and political-philosophical
traditions. The concept of justice in prolonging life has been extensively
written about by dr. Adrian Bunn, to whom we also refer in the article.
Conclusions: With the expected arrival of life extension, new questions
open up and new ethical and political-philosophical dilemmas emerge.
One of these new questions is whether or not to provide some of these
new technologies to all citizens to choose freely. The liberal political-
