BIOETHICS AND LITERATURE IN “THE IMMORTAL”: a reflection about immortality as a point of no return

Abstract

Bioethics alone cannot think about the problems that arise with the increasingly unlimited capacity of human beings to modify the world and themselves. In this unknown area, there are technologies about immortality. Although existing only in theory,
they already have research and financing. This change challenges the understanding of the
ethical implications of rendering practically endless what is naturally mortal. Because it does
not have these limitations, literature becomes a powerful ally in this discussion; by creating
a fictional universe similar to the real one, conflicts become easier to grasp and one can imagine the various implications of this biotechnology. This article seeks to contribute to the discussion of the theme, through a methodology that uses a fictitious text as a central guide of the discussions. The short-story “The immortal” by writer Borges was chosen, bringing a
new perspective on the subject of immortality as a point of no return.