How long can a person survive without hope?

Answer 1

If you have joy and happiness and fulfillment with the things around you in the present, you can survive and be happy without hope. That's what atheist scientists do. If your unhappy and have a need for better tomorrow weather its an after life after you die or just a better life because your currently having tough times I think you can still survive a long time and into old age. I think a lack of hope though will effect your emotional health and therefore physical health over time. Prisoners can live to be old even though they have no hope. I think different people have different "hope". I think the more emotional a person is the more need they have a need for hope.