LANG 501 T10
Fall Semester 2006
Artificial Immortality Should It be Applied on Human?
Stephen Chan (CENG)
Tin Lau (BIEN)
Slinky Lee (ECE)
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”
From wikipedia encyclopedia
Birth
Birth
Death
Aging
Aging
Disease
Disease
Human Desires for Immortality
Goddess of the Moon (嫦娥 )
Historical Quest for Immortality
Emperor of Chou Dynasty
Xu Fu
(秦始皇)
(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 Expectancy
From 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.
•The cause of human aging is now being
understood
• Doctor John Langmore had successfully
applied artificial immortality on a cell
Theoretically, the technology can make
human to be immortalized
Source: http://www.viewzone.com/aging.html
Doctor John Langmore
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 cellsincomplete genetic information
DNA
Source: http://www.viewzone.com/aging.html
Telomerase: key enzyme to act against aging
Telomerase
• Catalyzing the self-repetition of a region in
DNA (Telomere)
• Length of the DNA can be sustained
• Human beings would not get older
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 VIPs
Especially 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
source: United Nations, http://esa.un.org/unpp/
Taipei MRT Crowds
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
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
Positive Aspects of Artificial Immortality
Treating of genetic-related diseases
Extending the life span of VIPs
Advance in cosmetic development
Saving the animals & plants on the brink of extinction
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
Negative Aspects of Artificial Immortality
Overpopulation
Selective privilege
Violate the traditional value of family
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