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  [live to be 500, 600,...]
| I originally wrote this as a blog, but since I want to know your opinion, voilà, a survey ^^]

After having read another article on life expansion, this time it was an interview with Aubrey de Grey, I feel challenged again to write about it.
The interview was not in English, so I'll refer you to another source (TED talks, which, by the way, is a great show):
www.ted.com/index.php/talks/aubrey_de_grey_sa ys_we_can_avoid_aging.html


de Grey is a biomedical gerontologist, that has, on a sidenote, a very interesting appearance as you can see on the photo :). He is also the author of the book "Ending Aging". Which will soon be on my bookshelf.

I've always been fond of the idea that there is a big chance that we all soon have the possibility to live for more than a century, or even centuries.
And when I say "more than a century" I do mean that our bodies will have the opportunity to reduce ageing, by means of going on a scheduled maintenance, so we can prolongue our lives with 200, 300, 400 years to infinity (?).

Since I do have some transhumanist thoughts, and am a techfreak, I think it's intriguing to see research evolve in great ways. Though it's still a couple of decades to go, the future is bright.

The idea of no longer having to make choices, and just do everything you can possibly think of. On my [to do list] for example is learn how to play the cello, and learn to speak Russian, craft sculptures, be a tattoo artist,... ^^

If you are scared that the Earth will get overpopulated, I don't totally disagree with you, since at this point us humans (and other animals) live to produce, so that our genes can linger on and on. But de Grey has an interesting theory that he calls the "coping strategy". And, to put it in a nutshell, according to me it means that we live our lives with the forever present thought that we will die at some point. Everything is arranged around that. Also, when we don't age anymore, knowledge will become more present. And knowledge (non-material inheritance) won't be lost. What an appealing idea, isn't it..? ^^

I'm not going to get into detail about the research itself, since I'm not qualified to. I refer to the source listed above.

Now tell me, everlasting (or largely prolongued) life:
Would you like that..?
And if you wouldn't, why not..?

I'm very interested in knowing your point of view. :)
Posted by untangled_wool on 2008-12-08 08:53:08
   Survey Answers
I could write a thesis on this. However, put shortly, what an appalling idea. I have had an interesting life but, at 65, enough is enough. Whatever the body may be doing, the mind gets weary. Nothing is new any longer. At least, nothing that I can do given that practical circumstances cannot be altered.

I agree that I would like to gain much more knowledge/skills and that there is now insufficient time. Moreover, ageing should involve the increasing realisation of one's own ignorance.

Not being an innovator, however, all my knowledge is known to others. As to knowledge of life, that must be discovered by each individual over time, preferably by having the courage to make mistakes. Unthingingly adopting second-hand approaches from others is not 'living.' Merely existing.
Posted by vee1534 on 2009-03-24 07:02:31  
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