The promise of eternal life somewhere in the afterlife was not enough. People - from antiquity - have wanted to live here and now.
The desire for immortality is perhaps as long as human life on Earth. Already the ancients approached eternal life very practically. Realizing the impossibility of living on Earth forever, they started looking for other possibilities.
Cheat destiny
The ancient Egyptians believed in an immortal soul. The problem was that such a soul was even in a dead body. Everything had to be done so that the body - the house of the soul would survive in the most intact condition . That is why the bodies of the dead were embalmed and tombs were built over which monumental pyramids were erected. Resting places were equipped with everyday objects. Everything had to be solid, indestructible. Immortality understood in this way was available only to a few , especially the pharaohs, but also priests and courtiers. It cost the mortal lives of many builders.
The desire for immortality is arguably as long as human life on Earth.
The ancient Greeks envied their gods not only immortality, but also beauty and eternal youth. This was all the more justified as people then lived an average of only 35 years . Therefore, a way to live forever was earnestly sought. The Greek gods were in fact a projection of the dreams of the people of that time, about how they wanted to be. Since there was no chance of obtaining the status of gods, Greek philosophers searched for other ways to immortality, and thus to find an answer to the most important question about the meaning of life. So the idea of the immortal soul appeared . For Socrates, the soul was the consciousness of man, his personality. Our reason, sense of right and wrong, a source of activity.
The thought of Socrates was developed by Plato. According to the philosopher, man consisted of a soul that existed spontaneously, immortal and immaterial, and a body. The soul had divine attributes and the human body was mortal . The dualistic concept of man, created mainly by Plato, was in force for several centuries and is still found in many religions. Ancient philosophy reached Europe in the Middle Ages and was the foundation of Christianity. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, man is an immortal soul and a mortal body. The soul can exist without a body, so man is somewhat immortal.
Gulp down and live forever!
However, even humanity's hopes for a future, happy existence in Paradise have not diminished the desire for eternal youth and temporal immortality here on earth. A better sparrow - earthly immortality - in hand than the heavenly pigeon on the roof. Especially since it was impossible to be sure where you would end up in these other worlds. Recipes for elixirs of immortality were searched for in antiquity some even claimed to have them. Unfortunately, they did not confirm their effectiveness for the next generations. Recipes for the elixir of immortality were searched for almost every latitude and in different epochs. It was supposed to be an anti-aging agent (most likely a liquid), ensuring eternal youth and infinite life.
In the Middle Ages and in the modern era, alchemists focused more on theories of rejuvenation
In the Middle Ages and in the modern era, alchemists focused more on the theories of rejuvenation, basing their research on the knowledge and work of Greek philosophers. Their main goal was to search for the philosopher's stone who, apart from the gift of immortality, would be able to change lead and iron into silver and gold. They noticed the relationship between the chemical transformation of metals and the rejuvenation of the human body. In the 18th century, Claude-Louis de Saint Germain had such a recipe. Sources say de Saint-Germain died after all.
I'll wait on nitrogen
The hope of immortality grew with the advancement of medicine. Not today, not tomorrow, but eventually science will ensure immortality. James Bedford was the first to wait for the doctors of the future, becoming a pioneering cryonaut frozen in nitrogen . It happened in 1967. Others followed suit, despite the high cost. The less wealthy could only afford to freeze their heads. So far, however, the only known cases of thawing and returning to life are the heroes of Sexmission Juliusz Machulski, a character from the movie Hibernatus with Louis de Funes and countless daredevils from movies and science fiction books.
In the 1960s, the first daredevils appeared to undergo cryopreservation
Modern medicine is no longer looking for a way to be immortal. The goal of doctors and scientists is to extend life and improve its quality. Is immortality necessary for people at all? It would certainly be a real misfortune - not only ZUS would not be able to stand it, but even the entire planet. So if we believe that there is no rationality in religions, it certainly is in this case. "And in the world a godly stay, a paradise after life" - because we simply cannot accommodate here.
Bibliography
- Krzysztof Sobczak, On the understanding of death in Greek and Roman antiquity , "Humanistyka i Przyrodoznawstwo" (20), pp. 479-502, 2014.