Can we create a society in which everyone can live long healthy lives? Why or why not?

There are powerful arguments to be made on both sides of this issue. However, there are so many unknowns about the future of society, humankind, and even our planet itself that it’s difficult to answer with any real sense of certainty. Whether or not you believe such a utopia is possible may depend on your sense of optimism or pessimism.

In making your argument, here are some possible topics on both sides of the issue...

There are powerful arguments to be made on both sides of this issue. However, there are so many unknowns about the future of society, humankind, and even our planet itself that it’s difficult to answer with any real sense of certainty. Whether or not you believe such a utopia is possible may depend on your sense of optimism or pessimism.

In making your argument, here are some possible topics on both sides of the issue you may wish to explore—

Reasons why society may not be able to provide everyone with healthy long lives:

1. Overpopulation may make providing quality food and healthcare to everyone a logistic impossibility. See the work of Thomas Malthus and his dire predictions in the 19th century, which, thankfully, have not come to pass (so far!).


2. Climate change and environmental degradation will so thoroughly wreak havoc on our planets that healthy, long lives will become impossible.


3. Rising global income and wealth inequality may not be compatible with universal healthy, long lives.

Reasons why society will succeed in providing healthy, long lives:

1. Advances in medicine and technology have significantly improved lifespans in industrialized countries. Perhaps these advances can be generalized to all countries and to the poor.


2. Democratic socialism, a philosophy popular in Scandinavian countries, has been successful in providing its population with excellent health care. This political philosophy might be able to be applied outside of the small and ethnically homogenous populations of Scandinavia.

At the root of this question are essential issues about wealth distribution and poverty, both within countries, and globally. Good luck and keep learning!