inkbluesky

japanese spring landscape wallpaper 

‘We will be able to live to 1,000′

Should we cure ageing?

Curing ageing will change society in innumerable ways. Some people are so scared of this that they think we should accept ageing as it is.

I think that is diabolical - it says we should deny people the right to life.

The right to choose to live or to die is the most fundamental right there is; conversely, the duty to give others that opportunity to the best of our ability is the most fundamental duty there is.

There is no difference between saving lives and extending lives, because in both cases we are giving people the chance of more life. To say that we shouldn’t cure ageing is ageism, saying that old people are unworthy of medical care.

Geneticist Aubrey de Grey seems to think we can eventually come up with the genetic fixes necessary to extend life into the thousand plus range - violent death and accidents aside. Will that be a good thing on a planet that seems to be straining to feed, clothe and shelter over 6 billion people and will likely reach 10 billion in the next 20 years.  S Jay Olshansky PhD  thinks that the possibility of of extending life and being healthier is in the cards, but isn’t imminent,  ‘Don’t fall for the cult of immortality’

The fact is that nothing in gerontology even comes close to fulfilling the promise of dramatically extended lifespan, in spite of bold claims to the contrary that by now should sound familiar.

What is needed now is not exaggeration or false promises, but rather, a scientific pathway to improved physical health and mental functioning.

If we happen to live longer as a result, then we should consider that a bonus.

Personally I would just like to see some advancements in curing arthritis and degeneration of the spinal column. Both these things cause chronic pain. The constant aches and pains seems to wear down older people and age them mentally as much as physically. de Grey says in the article that they will be able to repair that kind of damage through genetics. I’ve got my fingers crossed.