Human Immortality by 2045
- Thread starter Cassia
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artistry
Member
I heard or read something in that regard. After you have been here for the time allotted you, your berain and body are ready for the next stage, which I really don't think would be entering into another body with a tired brain. Leave well enough alone is what I say, there is a reason it is as it is.
It's not just this one scientist. We're capable of stopping and even reversing the aging process in rats. It's not so far fetched. Some animals in nature don't age. Personally, I don't think immortality is a good idea. How will we decide who lives and who dies? How will finite resources support infinite lives?
SifuPhil
Member
They've already begun to record our thoughts, emotions and dreams onto hard drives and can translate thoughts into recognizable words, so I see that as being the first step. Mostly this new tech is being used for translating neural brainwave activity into digital signals usable by such devices as prosthetic arms, but the potential is awesome and there is a lot of research being done in this field.
If they can perfect these devices and add in some organ replacements there's really no reason we can't live for at least several hundred years. We'll be like a car - if one module fails, bring us into the garage and get a new one installed, keeping the main computer and adding updates as necessary. If we should become brain-dead, just load up a new body with the old thoughts.
The question that pops into MY mind in these discussions is, as always, will we be smart enough to use this technology morally and ethically?And, would we WANT to live that long - one of my favorite old TV shows, Highlander, addressed the question of immortality and how it affects not only you but everyone around you.
Imagine someone getting hold of your "life disk", containing all your thoughts? Talk about ID theft ...
If they can perfect these devices and add in some organ replacements there's really no reason we can't live for at least several hundred years. We'll be like a car - if one module fails, bring us into the garage and get a new one installed, keeping the main computer and adding updates as necessary. If we should become brain-dead, just load up a new body with the old thoughts.
The question that pops into MY mind in these discussions is, as always, will we be smart enough to use this technology morally and ethically?And, would we WANT to live that long - one of my favorite old TV shows, Highlander, addressed the question of immortality and how it affects not only you but everyone around you.
Imagine someone getting hold of your "life disk", containing all your thoughts? Talk about ID theft ...
Meow
Member
Ever seen the show Dollhouse? You basically just summed up the main plot device of the whole thing.They've already begun to record our thoughts, emotions and dreams onto hard drives and can translate thoughts into recognizable words, so I see that as being the first step. Mostly this new tech is being used for translating neural brainwave activity into digital signals usable by such devices as prosthetic arms, but the potential is awesome and there is a lot of research being done in this field.
If they can perfect these devices and add in some organ replacements there's really no reason we can't live for at least several hundred years. We'll be like a car - if one module fails, bring us into the garage and get a new one installed, keeping the main computer and adding updates as necessary. If we should become brain-dead, just load up a new body with the old thoughts.
The question that pops into MY mind in these discussions is, as always, will we be smart enough to use this technology morally and ethically?And, would we WANT to live that long - one of my favorite old TV shows, Highlander, addressed the question of immortality and how it affects not only you but everyone around you.
Imagine someone getting hold of your "life disk", containing all your thoughts? Talk about ID theft ...
It's quite an intelligent show for American television actually, plus it has Dichen Lachman, so bonus points for her being gorgeous!
SifuPhil
Member
Never saw that - guess I'll be spending some time on YouTube or Hulu ...
Dichen IS interesting looking (Australian and Tibetan - how could she be otherwise?), but I shy away from her character name - I had a stalker named Sierra.
LiquidatorBrunt
Member
It will be a long time before anyone can fit the vastly complex human consciousness into a synthetic computer. Computers can't even solve the board game of chess, how can they possibly replicate the complexities of the human brain?
I think the most effective way of extending you life span today is practicing a diet of high nutrition and caloric restriction.
I think the most effective way of extending you life span today is practicing a diet of high nutrition and caloric restriction.
Meow
Member
Well if she looks similar, I'm really not seeing the problem...Never saw that - guess I'll be spending some time on YouTube or Hulu ...
Dichen IS interesting looking (Australian and Tibetan - how could she be otherwise?), but I shy away from her character name - I had a stalker named Sierra.
SifuPhil
Member
It might not be a case of artificial intelligence like learning to play chess, but merely a new way of recording data. We're electrical in nature, so are computers - we have a lot in common.
She was good-looking enough - it's just that my male pride was wounded by not being the stalker.Meow said:
Parker
Member
I do believe the essence of who were are is immortal. I don't want to be immortal in my current physical body. I don't fear death. I look forward to what lies behind the veil after I done here on earth. I don't want to hanging around on earth in a human avatar.
Even if there is nothing after death, I still don't want to hang around in a human avatar. Time to make room for the next generations.
Even if there is nothing after death, I still don't want to hang around in a human avatar. Time to make room for the next generations.
Esperahol
Active Member
Ever seen what was it - the sixth day? Remember the bad guy and how he kept going with clones of himself? That isn't immortality, that is the illusion of immortality. Personally anyone who wants that can have it, because once this is over... it's over. Yay. I'm actually pretty tired of it sometimes as it is.
Meow
Member
Until someone pulls the soul card on you. I'll spare everyone that debate, though.It might not be a case of artificial intelligence like learning to play chess, but merely a new way of recording data. We're electrical in nature, so are computers - we have a lot in common.
Stalk back; you guys could have played the most epic two man, cross-city game of manhunt ever.She was good-looking enough - it's just that my male pride was wounded by not being the stalker.
Esperahol makes a very good point. In that movie, those bad guys weren't resurrecting themselves or saving their lives when mortally wounded through cloning. When they died, they died. All they did was make multiple beings that happened to share the same memories and personalities. But each one was still unique. The existence of two clones at once, which happens several times in the movie, proves that point. However, transplanting your brain might actually work to preserve you as an individual.
beckyv1265
Member
From a purely practical point of view, if we all live forever than where will future generations live? I guess perhaps they can put all our collective robotic bodies on a space ship and send us out to find other earth like planets to inhabit. lol
freshfoodie
Member
If Watson (an IBM computer) can win at Jeopardy against some of the best human players using the rules of deduction, I don't see why this wouldn't be possible. Computers are closer to using the laws of reasoning like humans do than we think. I don't think that we should be immortal.
As to the question about finite resources, have you seen the movie In Time? Basically people were genetically engineered to not age after age 26, but they only had a year to live. You could earn more through work or you could even steal it. Everything you bought or sold was paid for in time. The rich had millions of years and the poor were dropping off like flies because they ran out.
SifuPhil
Member
Ugh - thank you.
Been there, done that - I'm retired from that particular game these days.
Meow
Member
Realistically it probably would be like this. The rich would be the ones with the technology, so why not abuse that and control distribution how you would want it as well.
classicnyer
Member
I read about this in Time magazine once... and I'm a little terrified by the notion. We're already an overcrowded planet. If people didn't die, but kept reproducing at the same rate, then eventually we would run out of resources.