Makropulos Case Analysis

Bernard William’s The Makropulos Case focuses on the topic of immortality, and the issues that would arise from being immortal. William’s uses the concept of the Makropulos play to refute the idea of immortality, because the protagonist kills themselves out of unbearable boredom from exhausting their categorical desires. Whereas John Martin Fischer rejects William’s view of immortality, due to the limiting constraints of his argument. Fischer asserts the immortal life would be livable, because it reflects a mortal life. In effect, I will further Fischer’s argument, in proposing the concept of categorical desires evolving, and then the significance of external factors occurring in society. Therefore, this essay will explain the significant components

However, I will build on-top of Fischer’s idea, and propose the concept where a categorical desire can grow in complexity the it is pursued. Additionally, the proposal adds to the concept of packaged categorical desires, because it focuses on how the agents interest deepens/broadens in complexity. The proposed example is a child’s developing a love for outer-space, and as they age they choose to pursue that interest as their categorical desire. Moreover, as the child ages, their love for outer-space becomes broader as they become interested in astrophysics and science-fiction related to space travel. Furthermore, I propose the individual is given the immortality elixir (between the ages of 25-35), which then gives the agent an unlimited amount of time to devote themselves towards their categorical desire. Moreover, once the agent has achieved their opportunity of becoming an astronaut, and spending their time exploring the Solar System. The agent’s fascination for space deepens in complexity, as they become interested in the theoretical/mathematical aspects of advancing space exploration. These new interests continue to branch out towards engineering space shuttles, and mankind in to solar systems. Significantly, the child that was interested in outer-space has built upon their interest/categorical desire. Nevertheless, their goals remain within the same scope, but their interests have evolved in complexity. Nonetheless, anti-immoralists would argue of the boredom one would undergo as they are floating in space for ten, or more years in a single environment. Arguably, this can be responded with Fischer’s concept of repeatable/rotational goods. This is on the account that the agent will have duties they will need to fulfill so they can safely return to earth, while they obtain research information on their mission.