Artificial Immortality - Should It be Applied on Human?

Stephen Chan (CENG)

Tin Lau (BIEN)

Slinky Lee (ECE)

LANG 501 T10

Fall Semester 2006

12 Oct 2006

12:00 noon - 1:00 pm

HAVE YOU EVER DREAMED OF

….

YOU ARE ABLE TO LIVE ….

INDEFINITELY ??

Outline

• Objectives

• History of men’s search for immortality

• Technological immortality

• Positive and negative aspects of

immortality

• Group discussion

• Conclusion

Objectives

• To discuss the possibility and necessity of

applying artificial immortality on human

beings

• To identify the potential drawbacks of

immortality on human beings

What Is Immortality?“Immortality is the concept of existing for a potentially

infinite, or indeterminate, length of time”

Aging

Death

Birth

Disease

From wikipedia encyclopedia

AgingBirth

Disease?

Human Desires for Immortality

Goddess of the Moon ( 嫦娥 )

Historical Quest for Immortality

Emperor of Chou Dynasty

( 秦始皇 )

Xu Fu

( 徐福 )

Oldest Man on the Earth

• Habib Miyan•Claimed to be 132 years old

•Witness of the rule of FOUR kings in India

•Outlived his wife and 3 of his children

•Blind and low mobility

If he can live even longer, will life be miserable and meaningless to him?

Life ExpectancyFrom 1950 to 2003:

Life Expectancy increased from 68 years to 77.8 years (14.4% increasing)

Reasons:

1. Improving hygiene conditions

2. Advancing drug technology

Source:http://mwhodges.home.att.net/healthcare.htm

Life Extension (Anti-aging)“Life extension refers to an increase in maximum or

average lifespan, especially in humans, by slowing down or reversing the processes of aging.”

From wikipedia encyclopedia

Current methods:

1. Calorie restriction

2. Nutrient supplementation

Source: http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/content/en/other/pyramid.jsp

Life Extension (Anti-aging)Limitations of anti-aging method:• Preventing diseases, but not natural death

• Stretching out the middle years of life only

• BUT still need to face natural death!

News“Human Immortality: A Scientific Reality?”

If you're alive in 20 years, you may be able to live forever.

Source: http://www.viewzone.com/aging.html

•The cause of human aging is now being understood

• Doctor John Langmore had successfully applied artificial immortality on a cell

Doctor John LangmoreTheoretically, the technology can make human to be immortalized

Artificial Immortality: Technological Principles

What causes aging?

• During DNA replication, DNA molecule becomes shorter and shorter

• A small portion of the DNA molecule is lost and not copied

• New cellsincomplete genetic informationDNA

Telomerase: key enzyme to act against aging

• Catalyzing the self-repetition of a region in DNA (Telomere)

• Length of the DNA can be sustained• Human beings would not get olderTelomerase

Source: http://www.viewzone.com/aging.html

Source: http://www.exn.ca/Stories/1998/05/12/52.asp

Artificial Immortality: Technological Principles

Unfortunately, productivity of the body to generate Telomerase naturally is decreasing through the life

The natural productivity of Telomerase in our body:

Positive Aspects of Artificial Immortality

1. Treating of genetic-related diseases

Such as Parkinsonism, Accelerated aging disease, Cancer

2. Extending the life span of VIPsEspecially the scientists and some political leaders

So that they can contribute more to our society

Albert Einstein (1897-1955)

Positive Aspects of Artificial Immortality

3. Advance in cosmetic development

Applying the technology to face, hands or other parts of your body.

Keep young, energetic and attractive

4. Saving the animals & plants on the brink of extinction

Indirect benefit from the new technology

Negative Aspects of Artificial Immortality

1. Overpopulation

Taipei MRT Crowds

source: United Nations, http://esa.un.org/unpp/

Negative Aspects of Artificial Immortality

2. Selective privilege

Bill Gates Bin Laden Paris Hilton

Q: Will artificial immortality be available to the rich only?

Negative Aspects of Artificial Immortality

Immortality become privilege

conflict between moral people and immortal people

Negative Aspects of Artificial Immortality

3. Violate the traditional value of family

The relationship of the family, even the whole society, will become complicated.

Negative Aspects of Artificial Immortality

4. Challenge on religious beliefs

It's not natural to escape aging.

It's playing God !

Summary• Immortality is desired by human since ancient time

• Artificial immortality makes human to possibly be immortalized

• Positive Aspects of Artificial Immortality1. Treating of genetic-related diseases2. Extending the life span of VIPs3. Advance in cosmetic development4. Saving the animals & plants on the brink of

extinction

• Negative Aspects of Artificial Immortality1. Overpopulation2. Selective privilege3. Violate the traditional value of family4. Challenge on religious beliefs

Group Discussion

1. Would you prefer to use this technology if possible?

2. In an immortal society, how do you make room for new generations?

3. Who can determine the lifespan of an individual?

4. If the lifespan of human is extended, will people just live for today?

5. Is immortality beneficial to scholars whose studies can be carried on continuously and indefinitely?

6. Is an immortal life equal to meaningful life?

Conclusion• The technology of artificial immortality is worth

developing

• We need to prevent the overuse/misuse of this technology

• Further research should focus on

1. Curing diseases

2. Feeding the starved

3. Postponing frailty, not death