Indefinite lifespan

[Jotto999]

You've probably heard of speculative future technology that gives us "Indefinite lifespan". I first heard of indefinite lifespan from watching Aubrey De Grey in a TedTalks video.

I wanted to know what people here thought about the subject. Frankly I would much prefer having the option to continue living in good health, and I would rather the world have low death rate low birth rate than high death rate high birth rate.

EDIT: Oh shoot, there was a thread in the Philosophy section on this.
Well, we could have this thread more oriented around the feasibility of life extension technologies, rather than philosophical implications.

 

[Wrongfire]

Ive seen that video before and I agree with him. I think its most definitely possible. Nanorobotics is surely the road to that goal. And also to UTTER WORLD ANNIHILATION, so its a doubled edge sword

 

[nasher168]

Not so sure about indefinite lifespan, but I certainly wouldn't mind a good thousand more years of youth. The possibilities would be enormous, although we might end up with the unfortunate situation of humanity just stagnating, without individuals seeing any need to get off their backsides and actually do something.

 

[Anachronous Rex]

 

[JustBusiness17]

Frankly I would much prefer having the option to continue living in good health, and I would rather the world have low death rate low birth rate than high death rate high birth rate.

This opens up a lot of serious ethical dilemmas. There is nothing I would like more than to have the most brilliant minds of the world contributing much longer than our current lifespan. The major problem is that this technology would most likely be sold as a commodity (either legally or not) meaning that only the rich would be able to afford it. Not to start a debate on class warfare, but the wealthy elite of the world tend to lack the socio-ethical intelligence to effectively manage such power.

Another major issue would be that of eugenics. With the ability to extend human life beyond multiple generations at a point where carrying capacity of the Earth has been exceeded (which it is or is close to now) would mean the race would need to adopt selective breeding practices. Again, unless there is a serious economic shift in the future, this would also be determined on the open market.

Unfortunately, this would fall into the category of "yet another technology which humans are socially incapable of utilizing responsibly". Thankfully, there's enough time to pack a bowl, watch Logan's Run, and pontificate the future that I don't want to belong to.

 

[Jotto999]

This opens up a lot of serious ethical dilemmas. There is nothing I would like more than to have the most brilliant minds of the world contributing much longer than our current lifespan. The major problem is that this technology would most likely be sold as a commodity (either legally or not) meaning that only the rich would be able to afford it. Not to start a debate on class warfare, but the wealthy elite of the world tend to lack the socio-ethical intelligence to effectively manage such power.

Another major issue would be that of eugenics. With the ability to extend human life beyond multiple generations at a point where carrying capacity of the Earth has been exceeded (which it is or is close to now) would mean the race would need to adopt selective breeding practices. Again, unless there is a serious economic shift in the future, this would also be determined on the open market.

Unfortunately, this would fall into the category of "yet another technology which humans are socially incapable of utilizing responsibly". Thankfully, there's enough time to pack a bowl, watch Logan's Run, and pontificate the future that I don't want to belong to.

I was under the impression that since the product of life extension technologies aren't at once, but rather over an individual's long lifetime, that the economic problems would easily have enough buffer time to iron themselves out. I do agree that if the average lifespan in developed countries was say doubled, that our society would have to change to accommodate for this, let alone living hundreds of years. I don't see why it wouldn't eventually work out, though.

I am confident that these things will be legal, and they might not be that expensive either. For example, organ printing, once the refinements are made and the new technology has had time to be commercially established will not likely cost very much. Same goes for efficiently mass produced nanobots that we put into our bodies.

I guess we'll have to wait and see...and if I die long before it starts happening anyway, then there wasn't much to worry about to begin with. Actually, I'm more concerned about never seeing it than the implications it would bring.

 

[ExplorerAtHeart]

Its even more feasible when humankind and technology merge. Plus who says human and human society wont evolve into something better!