Mr. Last, http://the-light-house-keeper.blogspot.ca/2013/08/the-amazon... as you can see, we don’t always agree,</a> but I thoroughly enjoy reading your site. It stimulates my mind. Thank-you for writing such great articles. Btw, I particularly enjoyed your recent article titled, "Are You Love?" I knew this stuff already in a watered down sense, but it is good to see it put forth so succinctly. Great stuff! Keep it up.
Thanks jeb I checked out your article. I appreciate you including my thoughts on in your analysis. It seems like we could find agreement on many scientific issues!
I have often wondered what it would be like to live forever if constrained by human biology. I know that biologically, we are not evolved to live forever, but let's say that our bodies regenerated their cells in such a way that optimal health were possible indefinitely. We've talked about memory in many threads on hubski, but I imagine that there would be a whole lot of life that we would simply forget-- everyday stuff, like what we ate for lunch two days ago, or 50 or 250 years ago. Over long periods of time, what would the brain retain? Also, we are not the same people now as when we were children. Yes, aspects of those children remain, but our attitudes, ideas, beliefs and tendencies have had a lifetime of internal and external forces working on them. How might that change over endless stretches of time? Age also adds perspective and it strikes me that to a person who would live forever would likely have very different priorities and goals for themselves, or perhaps have no goals at all. For some, novelty might even become the ultimate pursuit. Anyway, from my very mortal perspective, I suspect that I would elect to live forever, if I could. I'll try anything once.
Yes, but that is already the case! And remember, if some of the things I discussed in the post become a reality, you will have a different type of brain than the one you currently enjoy. It will have greatly enhanced memory storage. The self is in constant flux and creation. You will be as different when you're 80 as you are now compared to your younger self. The same would be true if you lived for centuries ad infinitum. Yes, I think the pursuit of novelty will be key to remain sane. I don't think anyone would "opt out"; even if they think they would now.I imagine that there would be a whole lot of life that we would simply forget-- everyday stuff, like what we ate for lunch two days ago, or 50 or 250 years ago.
our attitudes, ideas, beliefs and tendencies have had a lifetime of internal and external forces working on them. How might that change over endless stretches of time?
For some, novelty might even become the ultimate pursuit.
I suspect that I would elect to live forever, if I could. I'll try anything once.
Right, I was saying that if we could somehow be biologically 25 forever, with 100% perfect cell replacement, but no other augmentations. Though, now that I think about it, if one knew that one would live forever then it stands to reason that one would likely find or create ways to alter the body, if only for novelty's sake. I've mentioned this to you before, but I think you might find Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan to be entertaining. It deals with issues of transhumanism and future tech and the human need for novelty. It even features designer STDs and a segment of the populace who have introduced extraterrestrial DNA into their bodies to change species. It's a comic book, but I think it really plays with a lot of very interesting ideas, very well.
Hm. Yes, several people have told me about Transmetropolitan now. Perhaps it is an indication that I read it! Thanks for suggesting it. Maybe that could be some good weekend reading.
That does remind me of the new world's oldest person. Apparently he can barely remember events from his early life.
How can you be sure other organisms are not aware of their mortality, when death is so present in most organisms life? Is this assumtion anything more than an anthropocentric delusion, mistaking a gradual difference for a principal one? The epic of Gilgamesh also is a cautionary tale against environmental destruction. People living forever would take better care of their natural life base - unless they'd want to destroy it in a quest for death, to escape the horror of an infinite life;-)