Black Americans are more interested in life-extending health technologies than their white peers, and religion increases this desire, according to new research from Rice University, the University of South Carolina and Purdue University.
“Divine Purpose? Religion, Race, and Attitudes Toward Life Extension Technology” explores the intersection of religion, race and technology and reveals complex motivations behind life-extension desires in the U.S.
The average life expectancy for Americans has increased from around 47 years in 1900 to almost 79 years in 2015 due to medical innovations and vaccines. Some studies suggest that life expectancy could be anywhere between 120 and 200 years by 2100 thanks to emerging technologies such as gene editing, AI implants and cryonics.
The study found that Black Americans are generally more interested in life-extension technologies than white Americans, particularly when it comes to taking radical measures to extend life. While white Americans’ interest in life extension is often tied to individual goals, Black and Hispanic Americans showed a higher likelihood of citing social- or community-oriented motivations for living longer. The researchers also found that among Black Americans, those who are more religious are more likely to show a greater interest in options for extending their lives, including more radical measures that aim to halt or reverse aging.
Elaine Howard Ecklund, the Herbert S. Autrey Chair and Professor of Sociology, director of the Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance and the study’s principal investigator, said this is a significant contrast to previous work suggesting that one’s religious beliefs typically decrease interest in life extension due to moral or theological concerns. She said the study emphasizes that attitudes toward life extension cannot be understood solely through race or religion but instead through the intersection of these factors.
“For instance, Black Americans’ belief in the compatibility of science and religion appears to bolster their support for life extension more than it does among white adults, where religious beliefs are often linked to skepticism toward scientific intervention in natural life processes,” said Jacqui Frost, the study’s lead author and assistant professor of sociology at Purdue.
The reasons given for pursuing life extension varied by racial and cultural background. While white Americans tend to seek life extension for self-oriented reasons such as the desire to see the future, Black and Hispanic respondents were more likely to express interest in life extension for community-oriented reasons, like contributing to society or spending more time with family, explained Andrea Henderson, study co-author and associate professor of sociology at South Carolina.
“With advancements in medical and anti-aging research, projections suggest that lifespans could extend dramatically, reaching up to 120 to 200 years by the end of the century,” said study co-author Rachel Schneider, director of the Religion and Public Life Center at the Boniuk Institute. “As the movement for life extension gathers momentum, we hope this research will encourage more work on how religious, racial and cultural factors shape public support for such technologies. Understanding the different ways Americans approach the question of life extension is critical as society navigates the potential for unprecedented changes in human lifespan.”
The study was supported by a grant from the Templeton Religion Trust. The paper is online at https://academic.oup.com/socrel/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/socrel/srae023/7748433 .