We should, when we will be able to expand out of this planet. Until then human race would get stuck in its development.
Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
81–90 of 99 posts
Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#82By all means we should cure aging. Aging and longevity are not the same thing. Many people would prefer to live their entire lifes as they were young, healthy and at the top of their game, then peacefully die at a preset age of 101 yo.
Sounds creepy :-)
Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#83We can't currently cure aging and there is little convincing evidence that suggests we will be able to anytime soon. This is despite the claims of many attempts at peddling false hopes by folks like David Sinclair and Aubrey de Grey. We can mitigate some downsides of aging at best. Aging is baked into our genes as natural selection never had a reason to favor any other approach.
... and gene therapy is now a reality.
Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#84Imagine that the status quo was that everyone lived forever. If someone suggested that we should kill literally everyone to solve overpopulation or rich people or meaning of life or whatever, they would rightly be called batshit insane.
Would enough people die in accidents? Also heart attacks and cancer. And how would it work? Some drug you take after a certain age?
The way I interpret agelessness is that your body would be capable of maintaining homeostasis over indefinite periods of time. Internally caused disease would need to cease to exist (cancer, heart disease, dementia etc.). Essentially your body would be indistinguishable medically speaking, year to year, decade to decade. Of course extreme external factors could still kill you. Trauma, Infectious diseases etc.
Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#85Everyone seems to assume that memory capacity is infinite, what if it is not and our brains fill up and can not function as well after that point? Or maybe in order to store new memories you have to give up older ones by overwriting them. Are you you if you can't keep your memories?
I don't think anyone assumes that. Our brain is very good at forgetting things deemed unimportant. Your question is already applicable now. Ask me what I just read and I can give you a clear answer. Ask me the same question in 4 weeks and I most likely couldn't give you an answer. Am I the same person? Most people would say yes.
Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#86Yes. No question. "Blah blah eternal life oligarchs or whatever" - who cares it's not like we don't have that problem now. Those people are powerful because we let them be, it's not innate. Maybe we might do something about the problem when there's a risk it'll last forever rather then pretending it's not a systemic failure. If it's possible to do, it's going to be done: the question is actually "should we let poor p…
In the USA, the baby boomer gerontocracy has amassed dominating wealth and power to the detriment of all. It's daunting to imagine a world where they never die . "Do something about it" is much easier said than done. Another angle: what's science going to be like when no-one ever retires from faculty positions?
I personally believe a few violent wars is much less inhumane then aging.
Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
Would enough people die in accidents? Also heart attacks and cancer. And how would it work? Some drug you take after a certain age?
Aging is not solved unless cancer is solved. Youre guaranteed to getcancer if you live long enough.
Ageing and cancer are correlated but I don't think ageing alone causes cancer. You could be very old, alive and full of cancer. Hela cells for example.
Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#88Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#89We can extend healthspan, how about that?
So people would still die because of the passage of time , but would stay healthy? But if they stay healthy without any age-related conditions, what would they die of ? This whole idea that forced death is necessary is stupid. We need to let go of it.
People would still die in accidents, disasters and from disease, or war. Just not aging.
Re: Science says we could “cure” ageing. But should we?
#90Earlier quoted context omitted.
Balanced consideration of positives and negatives rather than a focus on only negatives which is so strained and obsessive, it seems to be a professional requirement?
What do you know about metaethics?
Enough to say that only looking at risks is not an ethical way to approach ethics.