this is right, the problem is to find the mechanism that compels a man to relax, because I think he would not be able to do it indefinitely of his own accord. The egotistical man is always driven back in upon himself, by the buffets of life which none of us escapes. For him aging is inevitable. But what about the person with an indwelling with another? Just as it demands absolute trust, or the in-dwelling becomes unbearable, so I suspect it demands relaxation, or again it becomes unbearable. The prophecy of Isaiah that in the end, on God's holy mountain death would be swallowed up in victory, and the prophecies of Christ that anyone who believed in him would never see death, sound so absurd. Christ knew the book of Isaiah well; he could turn up the chapter he wanted at a moment's notice in the synagogue. My guess is that he took Isaiah's prophecy, and modified it for his own purposes, as was his wont. He would not have done it lightly; particularly when it was likely to, and did, bring scorn down on his own head at the time. My opinion is that these prophecies were not at all absurd; and I suggest that an in-dwelling between people is perhaps the psychological key, by which this mystery may be revealed; although this must be very speculative.
My chief doubt about immortality in this world is that the consciousness may be linked qualitatively to the flesh; so that as the flesh inevitably ages, the consciousness inexorably hardens too. Consciousness must be linked to the body; the mind only works properly if the brain is working properly too. Yet athletes are not renowned for being genii; and though there may be many examples of consciousness being “attached” to the flesh, I cannot think that every infirmity of the flesh is necessarily reflected in the mind. For immortality to dawn, I do not think you would need a perfect body; it would be sufficient if you had a healthy body.
Next, suppose immortality did dawn, what would happen to the body? …