Extending the human lifespan

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I'm talking about our minds, I think most people would just get tired of going through the same routines and observing the same patterns for centuries and would elect to end their lives.

there might be a point to that but wouldnt that also be a choice??

the issue to me is family and friends

I think there's so much things to do there's no reason for you to ever get bored with life, forever. Besides, that's not how our emotional systems work. Six months after winning the lottery or losing the ability to walk people end up just as happy as before. Happiness is stubbornly homeostatic. I doubt most people would decide life was not worth living just because they lived so long. Now, the biggest thing that might make life boring is work.

As for our minds not being equipped to handle living for centuries, I personally believe we were originally designed to anyway and I would be glad to live out that length of time and see for myself.

As for family and friends, my dad died when I was 13 and my mom died last month so at the very least I am acquainted with handling the grief of losing loved ones. I absolutely hate death and I wish death itself would die.

Not to mention we'd have to redefine what "human" really means. Also, aging is only one way to go, as brutal deaths and diseases are still possible.

If it was me, I'd rather be an undead Lich. No more worries about food, death, disease or lack of sleep, plus I'd get to retain my intellect. I've always thought that there is so much to learn and too little time in one's life to do learn everything. =( Kind of makes me wish I had my own dimension where time does not flow as fast as it does in reality. =/

Normal human cells die after about 50 subdivisions. That is because the telemeres at the ends of the chomosomes shorten after each division.

ruveyn

No we wouldn't have to redefine what human means. Some humans live less number of years and some live more, but both are still human.



Yes, quite obviously so, this has always been the case.



I think our minds would work just fine throughout the centuries. Although there are many diseases and conditions which can affect a person's ability to think, if the cells of their body are not going to die for centuries then repairs to kidneys (which filters toxins out of one's body which otherwise will slowly poison anyone and effect cognitive functions, at least in the last few years as was the case with my maternal grandmother who passed away in her 80's) would also be able to be continuous, as would be the case generally. It should be possible for humans to live for centuries again and I would be glad to do so.

What if the gene, already present in our genome, for the production of telemerase (an enzyme which rebuilds the telemeres after each mitosis) were to be properly activated in normal cells?

Others have touched on why it is either physically impossible (I think ruyven is right) or undesirable on an individual level. I think it is also undesirable at a species level. There are 7 billion of us already and that's with people dying at a normal rate. An extreme extension of the human lifespan would have to either be coupled with life off earth or with essentially an end to new births. Maybe a few could be allowed but the vast majority of people could not be able to reproduce if they are not also willing to die at 70-100 years. Freezing ourselves in stasis with no new people- or very, very few- is the end of evolution and the end of ourselves as a dynamic species. Life needs to renew and this would prevent that and turn us almost literally into living fossils.

We're not equipped to live indefinately because life requires constant renewal. The only cells that can multiply indefinately are cancer cells. Turning ourselves into the conscious equivalent of that doesn't seem like a good idea.

If this happens, I would want something to guarantee a fight against an disease that I might get or free healthcare. There is no way when I am 850 then suddenly die of some BS Brain disease or have sometime of Atrophy occur or some asshat give my Aids or a tick bite, but then again by that time I'm sure someone would have discover a way to cure most diseases. Whoever does the research I'm search is already in the process if not have steps involved in it. I'd probably live in the middle of nowhere with a high tech house built though, a house where cities won't and can't expand into. Also would need a wife that would live as long with me too. Bet my bank account would be huge.

What if my grandmother had testicles? That gene is not normally activated. We could find out what would happen if it could be activated by artificial means. If the lucky possessor of indestructible cells did not turn cancerous I suppose it might be useful.

ruveyn

My idea is that the surplus humans could be used to bring life to dead planets.

I think it is sick. There is no reason to live past 100.
I have had enough of these heartless scientists playing with life. First cloning and now trying to achieve immortality.

If one could live to a thousand in good health, then why not?

True immortality is impossible. Eventually the entire cosmos will spread out into a haze of energy in a high state of entropy. Physical work will cease

If we do achieve extended life spans it will be on the basis of natural processes and laws. We will put nature to work on our side to put off death (which is inevitable) for a bit longer. The human race has been doing this ever since when. In industrial countries people live half again as long as they used to 150 years ago. Do you object to that?

ruveyn

Humans don't deserve to live that long. We would destroy civilization way before then so there is no point.
Humans would ruin it. I think it is morally wrong too.
Maybe if we found a way to make life better. We would have to improve every thing.