Earlier quoted context omitted.
Should watch "Altered Carbon" if you haven't already...
Fiction is not an argument for against immortality.
Wasn't meant to be an argument for or against -- merely a relevant & entertaining piece of science fiction.
A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
111–120 of 214 posts
Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#112Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#113“A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.” – Max Planck[1] Often paraphrased as "Science progresses one funeral at a time." I don't think we really want immortality or unnatural longevity. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planck%27s_principle
I'd definitely want immortality in the sense of stopping physical (and mental) deterioration. You can always just commit suicide if you're done. I discuss this with friends and family occasionally, and they all seem to have these ideas that we're "only supposed to live 100 years or so". But that seems like a logical fallacy (appeal to nature) to me, it's not an actual argument. And sure, there are plenty of dystopian…
> The only read problem I see would be overpopulation, and possibly draconian measures to regulate it.
Like, for example, releasing a weaponized virus from a lab. Oh wait...
Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#114it's good to see billionaires putting money into health moonshots (vs real moonshots). Helps so many more people.
If immortality was somehow cracked, it would cause the end of civilization if it became available to everyone. Imagine the population of Earth ballooning to 12+ billion. Instead, it would be kept for the billionaires. Imagine the staggering inequality of 180-year-old trillionaires and their kin, that never ever relinquish their hordes. It's straight out of a cyberpunk dystopia. (Tessier-Ashpool comes to mind)
would you rather face that - or death?
Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#115We talk a lot (actually, not enough) about the dangers of AI, but we rarely discuss the perils of longevity. Not that they are similar, but both are somewhat underrated. - Once there will be a scientific breakthrough in longevity, everything will happen very fast. The time between the first and the billionth vaccine against ageing probably won't be much longer than one year. - The breakthrough may be just around the…
I think several of these are solved. Though pensions is a difficult one but they aren't nearly as common as they used to be.
If you live forever you can learn a new skill. There's also an incentive to get to financial independence.
Population isn't an issue and I'm confused why this is frequently brought up. But then again people think America is over populated while it's extremely population sparse. The truth is that every first world country has birth rates well below replacement. Most developing countries do too or are on their way. Countries where people live longer and have education have declining populations. It's wouldn't be surprising if people who were immortal didn't have kids until they were able to reach financial independence. Be that in their 90's or 900's.
I also don't think people will want to do the same jobs forever. We have infinite time. It's okay if it takes 50 years of schooling and 50 years to become a Sr engineer. Time is different. It's also more incentive for automation so little can just live.
Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#116what do HN folks think about efforts of Dr david sinclair of https://sinclair.hms.harvard.edu/ ?
Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#117“A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.” – Max Planck[1] Often paraphrased as "Science progresses one funeral at a time." I don't think we really want immortality or unnatural longevity. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planck%27s_principle
I don't think we really want immortality or unnatural longevity.
Imagine Putin, Trump, and Xi still running the world in 2100.
Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#118There's nothing Silicon Valley billionaires will throw money at faster than the ability to live longer/forever. Makes sense in a way, but pretty much everyone in the field will tell you that the science is simply not there yet. Calico is similarly funded and has been at it for a decade now, with nothing to show for it.
What with their lifestyles (along with other wealthy) climate change and an overpopulated planet, I don't think life extensions over the normal range make much sense.
Better invest in healthier living within the normal window. (in other words a robust body and mind till the time comes).
Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#119If we'd all just cleaned up diets and got in shape, Covid wouldn't have been such a big deal. You can do lots, such as diet and exercise, to live better and longer, but nobody does. We want a magic pill.
Not only that but with universal healthcare meaning that I'm subsidizing someone else's poor health habits, I want everyone on a government-prescribed workout + diet plan ASAP. Then again maybe COVID has been a blessing for culling the weak with minimal end-of-life costs, natural selection and all. Not going to be a popular opinion, but that's the emotionless conclusions of a purely scientific worldview.
With universal healthcare you can start to work on environment as well. There should be no "food deserts" in the richest country in the world but this is the reality we are in. HFCS should be curtailed so that as a regular citizen at any income level, you have access to food with real nutrition and can easily avoid sugar.
[1]:https://www.aecf.org/blog/exploring-americas-food-deserts
It starts with Universal Healthcare (to stop the so called "bleeding") but expands with cooperation with the FDA to eliminate the symptoms that cause people to fall into these addictive habits. The end result should be lower health costs for you and everyone else and an overall more dynamic society (since a healthy society can work better than an unhealthy society).
Re: A $3B bet on finding the fountain of youth
#120Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd definitely want immortality in the sense of stopping physical (and mental) deterioration. You can always just commit suicide if you're done. I discuss this with friends and family occasionally, and they all seem to have these ideas that we're "only supposed to live 100 years or so". But that seems like a logical fallacy (appeal to nature) to me, it's not an actual argument. And sure, there are plenty of dystopian…
There's the problem of the elderly continuing to accumulate wealth and power without ceding any to the younger generations. It's already happening. Look no further than the geriatric US lawmakers and how out of touch they are with the future.
Create a startup and disrupt them with a new technology.