This is a good compromise, even though it has redundancy, less DRY, more intent revealing.

GoodCompromiseInGOL.java

  public boolean willBeAliveInTheNextGeneration() {
    return shouldLiveOnToNextGeneration() || shouldBeCreatedByReproduction();
  }

  private boolean shouldLiveOnToNextGeneration() {
    return cell.isAlive() && ( cellHasTwoNeighbors() || cellHasThreeNeighbors());
  }
  
  private boolean shouldBeCreatedByReproduction() {
    return cell.isDead() && cellHasThreeNeighbors();
  }

  private boolean cellHasTwoNeighbors() {
    return cell.numberOfLiveNeighbors == 2;
  }

  private boolean cellHasThreeNeighbors() {
    return cell.numberOfLiveNeighbors == 3;
  }