Interest in Earthly Immortality
In his first edition of Political Justice Godwin included arguments favouring the possibility of "earthly immortality" (what would now be called physical immortality), but later editions of the book omitted this topic. Although the belief in such a possibility is consistent with his philosophy regarding perfectibility and human progress, he probably dropped the subject because of political expedience when he realized that it might discredit his other views. Godwin explored the themes of life extension and immortality in his gothic novel St. Leon, which became popular (and notorious) at the time of its publication in 1799, but is now mostly forgotten. St. Leon may have perversely provided inspiration for his daughter's novel Frankenstein.
Read more about this topic: William Godwin
Famous quotes containing the words interest in, interest, earthly and/or immortality:
“To appreciate nonsense requires a serious interest in life.”
—Gelett Burgess (1866–1951)
“Whoever lives for the sake of combating an enemy has an interest in the enemy’s staying alive.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“There is no God, no universe, no human race, no earthly life, no heaven, no hell. It is all a dream, a grotesque and foolish dream. Nothing exists but you. And you are but a thought—a vagrant thought, a useless thought, a homeless thought, wandering forlorn among the empty eternities!”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“There is a savor of life and immortality in substantial fare. Like balloons, we are nothing till filled.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)