Clashing Perspectives? Two Approaches to the Desirability of Biological Aging

Biotechnological interventions in biological aging could provide substantial opportunities to reduce, mitigate, or even eliminate this process, and could create better conditions for the pursuit of meaningful life projects. In this article, we contrast two (allegedly) opposing ethical perspectives on these interventions: on the one hand, individual welfarist approaches; and on the other, those rooted in social-structural considerations. After providing an overview of the current state of the literature on the ethics of aging, we show why it is generally believed that both perspectives offer distinct assessments of biotechnological interventions in biological aging, relying on arguments that seem a priori irreconcilable. However, in the second and third section, we argue that this idea is misguided and that both perspectives are intertwined and complement each other. First, we argue that the concepts of well-being, disability, and aging encompass both individual and social dimensions. Second, we critically discuss how both perspectives are essential for assessing the desirability of these biotechnological interventions.