How Long Will We Live? Will We Ever Reach Immortality?

da teachada teacha Regular
edited December 2010 in Life
It seems like life is so short and insignificant: that as it stands we can only achieve greater purpose through numbers, or by passing our genes on throughout generations...

However, as time goes on, as does our understanding of technology, surely we will be overcoming these barriers: our very own consciusnesses will break free from the rules of old, and will begin to increase in importance and influence.

It seems like we're standing at a huge turning point, and that within our lifetimes there will be huge technological advancements; changes which will allow some of us to extend our lifespans significantly.

It may reduce the conflicts in the world; will allow us to travel further into space; will allow us to accumulate greater comprehenshion of subjects and further increase our scientific understanding; will curb the rates of reproduction, etc, etc. There will be huge knock on effects.

However, will all these be changes for good? What will be the adverse effects of a world population which lives 10 times as long as it currently does?

Then, what methods will be employed to allow us to live for longer? Will they be cybernetic, biological or medical? Will we transfer our consciousnesses to robots; learn to manipulate/rebuild our cells and bodies biologically or advance medicine to the point that nothing will ever knock us down?

Comments

  • DirtySanchezDirtySanchez Regular
    edited July 2010
    The problem is people kinda have to die you know. Otherwise Overpopulation will be outta control. Plus We may be able to extend life expectancy but I think the quality of life will still be low and old people already burden the system so that problem would be increased as well.
  • ObbeObbe Regular
    edited July 2010
    I think we already do live forever. But most people don't see it that way because of how individual and separate from reality most people feel.

    If less people felt that way, I think many things would be better.
  • CaesarCaesar Regular
    edited July 2010
    I think that it's only a matter of time before our own physical existance becomes our plaything and we can live as long as we want. Given the current politics of the planet I think the biggest factor is who is controlling the technology itself. If it is rich, white, wealthy males who get to pick and choose who gets to live forever; we are royaly fucked. If the benifits can spread to those who want to use it, we could be looking at a utopia.

    In some ways I am hoping an AI emerges and takes over the managment. I see no reason that it would be hostile, as humans are already a subset of a greater force (or forces) If we have an AI we can directly communicate with in charge we may be able to live and explore in ways we could never do otherwise.
  • IrukanjiIrukanji Acolyte
    edited July 2010
    I don't want to live forever. Living forever is pointless with so many people on earth. If nobody dies, then eventually the world will be like the yeast in a bucket - they run out of food(sugar) or drown in their own waste(alcohol) and die. Anybody who wants to be immortal will only be disappointed when they die, might aswell live for a good 60-65 years and then die, after that age you become a burden on society(not that i have a problem with old people)
  • metameta Regular
    edited July 2010
    Immortality is possible, it just takes the manipulating of Telomeres. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomeres
  • ateate Acolyte
    edited July 2010
    ALAN WATTS TIME

  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited July 2010
    I'd rather just live for 300 years. That's good enough. Even so, if we can stop aging, people will still die from disease. Like trees. They live for a long time, but they eventually die because of bugs, etc.
  • MantikoreMantikore Regular
    edited July 2010
    The problem is people kinda have to die you know. Otherwise Overpopulation will be outta control. Plus We may be able to extend life expectancy but I think the quality of life will still be low and old people already burden the system so that problem would be increased as well.

    if we solve the problem of death, i think the problem of overpopulation will become trivial
  • VermicideVermicide Regular
    edited July 2010
    Mantikore wrote: »
    if we solve the problem of death, i think the problem of overpopulation will become trivial

    How so? Because food production etc. would have developed so that starvation wasn't an issue and we had either colonised another planet or living underwater or something so space wasn't an issue? Or because we would have evolved in such a way that the problems we face living in physical reality would cease to matter?
  • AnonymousAnonymous Regular
    edited July 2010
    The question is... Would you want to be immortal? I for one would not want to be immortal.

    I just have a feeling that after I die that theres going to be something more. I just see death as a natural progression.
  • SilosighbinSilosighbin Regular
    edited July 2010
    meta wrote: »
    Immortality is possible, it just takes the manipulating of Telomeres. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomeres


    Meta s correct. The natural deterioration of our chromosomes and cells is the only thing that holds us back from living longer, apart from the obvious illnesses like cancer etc, that also shorten life. If we could manipulate these we wouldn't age.
  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited July 2010
    Meta s correct. The natural deterioration of our chromosomes and cells is the only thing that holds us back from living longer, apart from the obvious illnesses like cancer etc, that also shorten life. If we could manipulate these we wouldn't age.

    Or we could just get cancer.
    Somatic cells that have divided many times will have accumulated DNA mutations and would therefore be in danger of becoming cancerous if cell division continued. Cancer cells are usually immortal. In about 85% of tumors, this evasion of cellular senescence is the result of up-activation of their telomerase genes.[12] This simple observation suggests that reactivation of telomerase in healthy individuals could greatly increase their cancer risk.
  • Brock SamsonBrock Samson Regular
    edited July 2010
    I don't think we're as advanced as we think we are, people in the 60's thought we would have hoverbikes and mars homes by 2000, And of course we don't. That said, through gene manipulation mankind will certainly advance in our potentially extended lifetimes.
  • MorningsideMorningside Regular
    edited July 2010
    I don't think we're as advanced as we think we are, people in the 60's thought we would have hoverbikes and mars homes by 2000, And of course we don't. That said, through gene manipulation mankind will certainly advance in our potentially extended lifetimes.

    Gene manipulation is bad. Do you really want to piss off Jesus and possibly go to Hell?
  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited July 2010
    Gene manipulation is bad. Do you really want to piss off Jesus and possibly go to Hell?

    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/05/scientists-create-first-self-replicating-synthetic-life/
  • L33tzL33tz Regular
    edited July 2010
    Who wants to live forever. what happens when you die? DMT
  • Professor ElmProfessor Elm Regular
    edited July 2010
    I think we do live forever, but there is merely instances of planet Earth. When our time is up on Earth, our current version dies.

    We live on in a new world, at an incomprehensible distance away. Maybe not in the same realm. The reason we live for so short is a safety measure so that we do not use up the resources and ruin the world we roamed at such a fast pace.

    Maybe somewhere, some time, there will be a sanctuary where we can finally stay in one instance, immortal and uncontained.. as free as a human.
  • ProtopangraphyProtopangraphy New Arrival
    edited July 2010
    The idea that technological progress will someday interfere with man's mortality is unrealistic. Are we really as advanced as we say we are in 2010? Economic forecasts look grim. How is the state of our education system and our populations? Japan and most of Europe face serious population/economic issues that are extremely difficult to correct. The world is getting older, fatter, less-disciplined and more dependent than ever and our economies are tanked. Funding to science in technology is being slashed and funds are growing increasingly more difficult to obtain. It seems more likely that we will be eating squirrels in the forests in ten years and growing food to pickle, rather than living with robots and supercomputers.
  • GreenbullGreenbull Regular
    edited July 2010
    The idea that technological progress will someday interfere with man's mortality is unrealistic. Are we really as advanced as we say we are in 2010? Economic forecasts look grim. How is the state of our education system and our populations? Japan and most of Europe face serious population/economic issues that are extremely difficult to correct. The world is getting older, fatter, less-disciplined and more dependent than ever and our economies are tanked. Funding to science in technology is being slashed and funds are growing increasingly more difficult to obtain. It seems more likely that we will be eating squirrels in the forests in ten years and growing food to pickle, rather than living with robots and supercomputers.

    We already live in a world with robots and supercomputers.
  • ProtopangraphyProtopangraphy New Arrival
    edited July 2010
    We live in a world with robots and supercomputers, yes, but not the world full of robots and supercomputers which is envisioned by most of the scientific community.
  • GreenbullGreenbull Regular
    edited July 2010
    Someone born in New Delhi today will live as long as the richest person did 100 year ago.

    Life's good ;)
  • ArmsMerchantArmsMerchant Acolyte
    edited July 2010
    We are spiritual beings, and as such are immortal, though we go through many changes.
  • CrazzyassCrazzyass Regular
    edited July 2010
    We are spiritual beings, and as such are immortal, though we go through many changes.

    Sorry to go off-topic, but good to see you here buddy. And with your old username. I'm diggin' it. :)
  • DailyDaily Regular
    edited July 2010
    I'm totally gonna get cryopreserved if I'm old and have nothing to live for. Scientists already have volunteers who are currently frozen, and apparently it'll be possible to awake them in the future. Scary.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics

    I heard you have to be dead to be allowed to do it though. I'll have to get a relative or something to drag my body into the lab. :(
  • ImaginariumImaginarium Regular
    edited July 2010
    There is no way to achieve immortality while staying organic, the transition to an inorganic apparatus is the only way I think.
  • OnesanOnesan Acolyte
    edited July 2010
    Daily wrote: »
    I'm totally gonna get cryopreserved if I'm old and have nothing to live for. Scientists already have volunteers who are currently frozen, and apparently it'll be possible to awake them in the future. Scary.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics

    I heard you have to be dead to be allowed to do it though. I'll have to get a relative or something to drag my body into the lab. :(

    Tightass, if you can afford cyropreservation you can at least not cut corners and have a team on standby, well assuming you know in advance as opposed to like getting shot by a nigger.:)
  • abrnabrn Abrn
    edited August 2010
    Cyborization, Brain transplant, Consciousness transplant, nervous system transplant, digital consciousness like on ghost in the shell, perfect cell regenaration. i hope one of these things comes to pass so i can live as long as i want.
  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited August 2010
    Who dares bump this immortal thread from the dead?
  • CrazzyassCrazzyass Regular
    edited August 2010
    lulz ^

    I agree that it's unlikely to be an organic method until we can modify our telomeres to stop the process that results in our death.
  • OnTheFringeOnTheFringe Acolyte
    edited September 2010
    I will live to be 5000 years old
  • Hellz-FuryHellz-Fury Regular
    edited December 2010
    I'm going to get frozen too.

    I will document everything that I experienced in life because I am sure I won't remember shit when they bring me back.
  • abrnabrn Abrn
    edited December 2010
    Well I hope I can accomplish something or have something hidden so they actually want to revive me if I'm frozen. Watch ghost in the shell if you like anime because I always really liked the shit about cyberbrains where they just copy your brain to a sick ass computer then assuming you have money for parts and repairs and shit you are set for eternity. If you live 300 years youre gonna be a millionaire even if youre a janitor.

    I guess if we had a perfect antioxidant and were in perfect health we could easily live ~120 years excluding random shit. I don't think it would take much genetic engineering to make cells keep regenerating like on the last man or the omega man or whatever the fuck that movie was called where the guys name was john oldman and he randomly had perfect cell regen and lived forever. Great movie Ill find the title you have got to watch it. The thing is we cant actually do genetic engineering as much as science would lead you to believe.

    Then theres futurama style brain transplants or preservation. The thing is, the brain ages. You can take care of your car and your shit might last really fuckin long but your transmission or somethings gonna need replaced someday. We have no idea how long the brain would last. Then theres a partial brain transplant called a consciousness transplant where they just put the "you" part of your brain into a fresh one. A big reason for this is that it would be ridiculously hard to attach your whole brain to a new nervous system and expect it to function properly. If you don't know, nerves are not just a solid cord, they are filled with more nerves, and even if we hooked up the right nerves to what looks like the right parts of the brain, probably still would be fucked. I have a feeling though that the part of your brain that they kept would start aging or freaking out and youve got some maniacal, senile, retarded personality running around in a buff fresh body.

    Idk I'm high and this shit always interested me, just google all that shit that I said in my previous post if youre interested.
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