Editor's note: This post is part of a series by Dr. Baker on Our Values about core American values. This week Dr. Baker is discussing immortality and longevity.

Scientific advancements may soon turn science fiction into science fact, making it possible for the average person to live to age 120 or older.

Today’s question is: Do you think that radical life extension would be a good or bad thing for society?

Just over half of Americans (51%) say that radical life extension would be a bad thing for society, according to the Pew Research Center survey that we have been exploring in this week’s series. About four of ten (41%) say it would be good for society.

What are Americans worried about when it comes to the use of medical treatments and devices that increase the life span? Equal access is one of the main concerns. A large majority of Americans (79%) say that everybody should be able to get life-lengthening treatments, but two-thirds (66%) also think that only the wealthy will have access.

Two-thirds (66%) also believe that longer life would strain the nation’s natural resources. A majority (53%) don’t believe that radical life extension would make the economy more productive.

And many Americans have moral objections: Almost six of ten (58%) say that these medical treatments would be “fundamentally unnatural.”

Do you think that only the rich will have access to life-lengthening medical treatments?

Would radical life extension strain our resources?

Is radical life extension simply unnatural?

Dr. Wayne E. Baker is a sociologist on the faculty of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Baker blogs daily at Our Values and can be reached at ourvaluesproject@gmail.com or on Facebook.