Human "Immortallity?"

[Jimbozu]

Humans have long dreamed of a fountain of youth, some kind of key to young life, that would allow them to live forever. In the past, explorers would set off across the Atlantic to search for the fountain of youth in the new world. Legend from across the map tell of elixirs or ponds which could grant long life or immortality. It has been the ultimate dream of medical science to somehow cure humans of the pesky habit of aging. Now that our understanding of the way the human body works has come to near absolute, we can now discern the actual processes that contribute to aging. With this knowledge we can use technology to counteract these processes, and with them, aging.

So called 'Futurists' claim that given the current rate at which medical science is growing, doctors should be able to allow humans as old as 80 now, to live to see the benefits of human longevity treatments. (Just because I'm poking fun at the title of Futurist, doesn't mean it isn't a legitimate profession, they make extraordinarily educated guesses about what science will be able to accomplish in the future) Many believe that even if we are not able to immediately counteract the process of aging, using fledgling medical technologies like stem cell organ growth, we should be able to keep people alive long enough to see the next form of treatment to the process of aging, such as nano-machines.

The science of Nanotechnology is all about building nano scale robots, and materials. What nano scale means, is that they are building machines on the scale of nanometers (10^-9 meters, or 1 one-billionth of a meter). Creating things this small relies on manipulating individual atoms to design man made molecules to do specific tasks. Researchers have already developed a "cart" that use two axles and four wheels to "drive" along an electrically charge plane, as well as molecular "engines," that use a pinwheel drive mechanism to turn a central axle. Researchers hope that one day (soon hopefully as well) they will be able to make machines that can read your DNA and repair the damage done that causes aging.

These new technologies, along with great innovation, also bring about new moral quandaries. Are nano machines safe? What happens when you actually create a self replicating nanobot? Will it be subject to the process of evolution just as all natural organisms are? These nano-bots are much smaller than bacteria, imagine what kind of damage they could do to the body at a molecular level? All these questions arise with the expansion of nanotechnologies.

Even if nanomachines are in the end, much to dangerous to use, we still have stem cells, which can be used to regenerate any damaged organs in our bodies, potentially adding decades, even centuries to our lives. But again, there are ethical quandaries that come with the development of the new science. One of the most common complaint over stem cell research is that to generate stem cells, you have to clone a human embryo. Researchers have been able to skirt this issue, by using human skin cells to generate stem cells.

Some would say that trying to lengthen the lifespan of the a human is an act against God. A recent study by the university of Wisconsin has found that approximately 70% of Americans find the research of nanotechnology to be morally unacceptable, and we all know the great controversy over stem cell research. Is man just not destined to overcome aging? What will happen if we as Americans are left behind in the field of longevity research? Will other countries and people live through the centuries while Americans are left dieing at the age of 80?

[weedseed]

buy a peach (or apricot), crack the pit open, and eat the kernel inside.

the "active ingredient" is sometimes referred to as B17, though it is not a vitamin at all.

these little wonder kernels are said to increase lifespan and possibly cure some cancers.

the downfall is that they are quite bitter and contain cyanide- so you don't want to go eating 10 kernels a day.

[montecristo]

great post... I believe that immortality is like manifest destiny... it's inevitable, the only question is "when" not "if". There are those who resist cloning and new technologies but that kind of pavlovian resistance on moral grounds usually disappear with time. We will achieve immortality and we ourselves will someday create life...

[HighGrowMan]

Immortality of the physical body is not possible without advanced spiritual awareness; if you want to live forever, you will need more than a bunch of computers keeping you alive. All computers can do is substitute for your natural processes, eventually take over your body one system at a time; until you loose everything that makes you a person.

I know that there are likely beings that live thousands of years. But they don't do this by means of any technical devices. Their bodies are capable of transmutation. They look at planets the way we look at cities, and galaxies are like countries.

They travel through the ether going forward backwards and side to side through time.

These are perfect beings who have had many lifetimes, like ours; and have reached transcendence.

If you have heard of the book of Zohar, it talks about the creation of man by Elohim, who like a silk worm, it builds a cacoon around itself. In doing so, the outward appearance is changed, however, there is much work going on on the inside.

Elohim, is the name of God, however it is also the name of who we really are. This life is like the spinning of a cocoon.

[JesusC]

The eternal existence/consciousness demands that things within it both live and "die", this is the only way it can achieve the complete experience. There is nothing the scientific community can do to prevent this.

Although, death doesnt really exist either....only life exists. Death is another one of those illusions, or rather misconceptions.

[bkadoctaj]

Originally Posted by JesusC

The eternal existence/consciousness demands that things within it both live and "die", this is the only way it can achieve the complete experience. There is nothing the scientific community can do to prevent this.

Although, death doesnt really exist either....only life exists. Death is another one of those illusions, or rather misconceptions.

I assume you meant "alternative perceptions", right?

[Arnack]

Originally Posted by HighGrowMan

Immortality of the physical body is not possible without advanced spiritual awareness; if you want to live forever, you will need more than a bunch of computers keeping you alive. All computers can do is substitute for your natural processes, eventually take over your body one system at a time; until you loose everything that makes you a person.

I know that there are likely beings that live thousands of years. But they don't do this by means of any technical devices. Their bodies are capable of transmutation. They look at planets the way we look at cities, and galaxies are like countries.

They travel through the ether going forward backwards and side to side through time.

These are perfect beings who have had many lifetimes, like ours; and have reached transcendence.

If you have heard of the book of Zohar, it talks about the creation of man by Elohim, who like a silk worm, it builds a cacoon around itself. In doing so, the outward appearance is changed, however, there is much work going on on the inside.

Elohim, is the name of God, however it is also the name of who we really are. This life is like the spinning of a cocoon.

Great post. Thanks a lot.

[JesusC]

Originally Posted by bkadoctaj

I assume you meant "alternative perceptions", right?

Thats a good way to put it.


Rather than death, you could say it demands life and change of life (ie alternative perceptions). Humans view it as death, while eternity views it as necessary change....although I really dont think its wise to speak on behalf of eternity, im simply sharing an opinion.

[bkadoctaj]

Originally Posted by JesusC

Thats a good way to put it.


Rather than death, you could say it demands life and change of life (ie alternative perceptions). Humans view it as death, while eternity views it as necessary change....although I really dont think its wise to speak on behalf of eternity, im simply sharing an opinion.

Yeah, I agree, personally.

[Arnack]

Originally Posted by bkadoctaj

Yeah, I agree, personally.

Off topic but very clever well-put signature. I like it.

[bkadoctaj]

Originally Posted by Arnack

Off topic but very clever well-put signature. I like it.

haha Thanks, man. I found it on some website, but I had heard this essential story before.