Immortality is just another 20 years aways. Immortality discussion.

[Masamune]

Scientist Ray Kurzweil claims humans could become immortal in as little as 20 years' time through nanotechnology and an increased understanding of how the body works.

The 61-year-old American, who has predicted new technologies arriving before, says our understanding of genes and computer technology is accelerating at an incredible rate.

He says theoretically, at the rate our understanding is increasing, nanotechnologies capable of replacing many of our vital organs could be available in 20 years time.

Mr Kurzweil adds that although his claims may seem far-fetched, artificial pancreases and neural implants are already available.

Mr Kurzweil calls his theory the Law of Accelerating Returns. Writing in The Sun, Mr Kurzweil said: "I and many other scientists now believe that in around 20 years we will have the means to reprogramme our bodies' stone-age software so we can halt, then reverse, ageing. Then nanotechnology will let us live for ever.

"Ultimately, nanobots will replace blood cells and do their work thousands of times more effectively.

"Within 25 years we will be able to do an Olympic sprint for 15 minutes without taking a breath, or go scuba-diving for four hours without oxygen.

"Heart-attack victims – who haven't taken advantage of widely available bionic hearts – will calmly drive to the doctors for a minor operation as their blood bots keep them alive.

"Nanotechnology will extend our mental capacities to such an extent we will be able to write books within minutes.

"If we want to go into virtual-reality mode, nanobots will shut down brain signals and take us wherever we want to go. Virtual sex will become commonplace. And in our daily lives, hologram like figures will pop in our brain to explain what is happening.

"So we can look forward to a world where humans become cyborgs, with artificial limbs and organs."

Interesting. Though I think that we will all fucking die, and technology will be the cause of it.

So my fellow friends, the question really is

Is immortality a good thing?

Discuss.

_________

Source

[Mr. Wilhelm]

I've heard recently one other group of people also found stuff on "immortality". Linked to the telomerase of whatever is named in English, didn't listen enough of it.

So, all is about nanomachine here? remind me of MGS4. All I know is that I wouldn't want to be immortal.

[Hidden]

Sounds like transhumanism to me.

[Artistry of Schedius]

that sounds pretty interesting but then again, who would want to be immortal? if you would be wouldn't you just be lonely since you pretty much live longer your accomplices and stuff and you just watch them die....

:/

[Ulti]

Do we really need another push to extinction?

[Prajna]

Immortality is absolutely not a good thing, dying is a part of life and it happens to everyone. Those who fear death will probably be the most likely to hop on this whole nano tech deal. This probably isn't even plausible. I've read about this before in an article years ago. If we we are all able to do such things as sprint 15 minutes without talking a breath, or write books within minutes, people would cease to be unique, we'd all be the same really. And if it never works, the money that is being put into this whole things will be wasted and that means billions of dollars on funding and research.

[KaiSparda1018]

I don't think that immortality is a good thing at all. It would be an eternity of watching generations of family and friends get old and die (or die young) while you just stand still and watch. Eventually, you would probably become a cold, unfeeling person because of this.

[Prajna]

Originally Posted by KaiSparda1018

I don't think that immortality is a good thing at all. It would be an eternity of watching generations of family and friends get old and die (or die young) while you just stand still and watch. Eventually, you would probably become a cold, unfeeling person because of this.

That's why it shouldn't be done. There is no need to live forever, because at one point your hearing, sight, most likely all other senses will stop working properly. It's not like these bots can prevent cancer or anything. Everything that has a life must die, this is what nature is intended for. Someday those bots will stop working then what, you'll have dead robots in your body just lying there. The bots themselves can't live on forever, can they?!

[Artistry of Schedius]

Originally Posted by Prajna

That's why it shouldn't be done. There is no need to live forever, because at one point your hearing, sight, most likely all other senses will stop working properly. It's not like these bots can prevent cancer or anything. Everything that has a life must die, this is what nature is intended for. Someday those bots will stop working then what, you'll have dead robots in your body just lying there. The bots themselves can't live on forever, can they?!

i agree with you there. yeah the bots can't live forever unless you change it every year or so , but thats just like burning money. nobody wants to be the last "surving" person in the end of the world now would they? I dont think so. besides no one except people who care about themselves would want immortality.

[Mr. Wilhelm]

While I agree, I disagree on the nanomachine being unable to stop earing and stuff from getting worst. I mean, that's the whole point of their idea. As for them dying after one year, people get flu shot every year, someday it'll be nanomachines shots, nothing special here really.

The reason it shouldn't be done is different. Imagine family. You daughter's daughter would have the same age than you with this. But anyway I doubt nanomachine brings total immortality. I'd call it a life expansion. In the case where it'd be summarized to a little life expansion, why not then. Like, allowing most peoples to reach at least their 80, see 100 years old, without having to be unable to do anything. That much would be good.

[Prajna]

Originally Posted by Artistry of Schedius

i agree with you there. yeah the bots can't live forever unless you change it every year or so , but thats just like burning money.

And imagine how much $ that's gonna cost. Unless Universal Healthcare kicks in, that's going to cost mad money.

[Artistry of Schedius]

Originally Posted by Prajna

And imagine how much $ that's gonna cost. Unless Universal Healthcare kicks in, that's going to cost mad money.

exactly. if you want to be immortal, you have to pay the price for being immortal. be it money or

It would be an eternity of watching generations of family and friends get old and die (or die young) while you just stand still and watch.

or loneliness again.
Also if you get blood bots, wouldn't you need an artificial organ to be able for it to work properly? and that leads to more money needed to be spent being immortal.

[Prajna]

Basically these scientists want humans to be almost full prosthetics like the characters in Ghost in the Shell. That would cause so many more problems than we do now.

[Artistry of Schedius]

Originally Posted by Prajna

Basically these scientists want humans to be almost full prosthetics like the characters in Ghost in the Shell. That would cause so many more problems than we do now.

so they're slowly turning us into Half-human and half-robot? (i forgot what it was called unfortunately). That's almost ridiculous. It's going to change our lifestyle if it does happen.

I re-read the first post:

predicted.....
replacing many of our vital organs

:/ I know they already do this but transforming the humans into Robots or Androids is not really right in my opinion.

(Thanks for reminding of the word Vandread.)

[Vandread]

And people are concerned about overpopulation when we still have people dying? I can only imagine how bad it would get if more and more people become immortal.

Still, immortality has never sounded like a very appealing concept to me for reasons already mentioned.

Originally Posted by Artistry of Schedius

so they're slowly turning us into Half-human and half-robot? (i forgot what it was called unfortunately).

Android.