Immortality

[Generic Troll Name]

Dathu

Grand Moff Locket

Easy. How to attain eternal youth, if immortality is a given. Learn everything by living forever, ne?

I dunno how I feel about immortality. Someone should make a thread about it!

Alright, I'll go from there.

Life is an open-system, therefore we have the ability to continue to "refresh" ourselves, we put things in, things come out, and we can continue to build on, or simply repair our selves until we simply run out of materials or patience.

I am a strong believer in technological immortality, the idea that, through technology, immortality can be obtained. Imagine yourself, as a cyborg; you no longer have muscles, rather, you have robotic muscles. Muscles that, like a normal muscle, are composed of threads, and react to electricity. Your muscles would be connected to your brain via a series of wires and switches, based on what use to be your nervous system.

Your brain would be the only thing human about you, however, it would not be natural. As your brain needs nutrients and oxygen to survive you would need to have a place to consume energy, and dispose of it. However, it would not need to be as complex as our current digestive system, it could be simple, fed on air and pure nutrients, much like an IV drip that you see in hospitals.

As I said, your brain would not be natural, for it is biological, and therefore, it decays over time. Dying cells, cells that failed to divide, the destruction of your DNA by free radicals, making it so that you are no longer able to produce all the cells that you once were, all eventually lead to aging and death. However, if you were to preserve a copy of your DNA to use as a map the problem of aging could be solved. Hell, maybe even stem-cells could help us regrow the cells we lose. In fact, let's go with that...

By using stem-cells we are now able to grow back our lost brain-cells, meaning that our brain can never die, so long as we know how to produce artificial stem-cells. Constantly adding in new things, upgrades, into the open-system that is our life allows us to achieve immortality, through technology.

Other than that, I don't really think there is anything like an elixir of life that, once drunk, gives someone immortality.  

[caustic 0_0]

I'd post something intelligent on the subject...but I don't know much about anything. I'm an art major, forgive me xP
Maybe it's possible through technology, maybe it isn't. I can see it going either way.  

[Derrot]

The question with brain stem cells, though... would the new cells be able to receive the information from the old cells or would the replacement eventually make you another person? Basically, can memories be transferred to new cells or will information be lost as old ones die? The reason I ask this is that since brain cells don't regrow... maybe there is a reason? Will the new cells just be an inactive growth?
....
I think I confused myself.

I think immortality through technology is possible, though, but sacrifices would have to be made.  

[Sanguvixen]

Derrot

The question with brain stem cells, though... would the new cells be able to receive the information from the old cells or would the replacement eventually make you another person? Basically, can memories be transferred to new cells or will information be lost as old ones die? The reason I ask this is that since brain cells don't regrow... maybe there is a reason? Will the new cells just be an inactive growth?
....
I think I confused myself.

I think immortality through technology is possible, though, but sacrifices would have to be made.

It think it is possible as well.

But what sacrifices? Well...we would cease to look human.

I personally don't want to ever grow old. I don't know..it's just my thing.
I wish there was a way to stop aging.

If you stop the process of aging...you stop death in a sense. Because we all die of either illness..accident..or old age.

 

[Generic Troll Name]

Derrot

The question with brain stem cells, though... would the new cells be able to receive the information from the old cells or would the replacement eventually make you another person? Basically, can memories be transferred to new cells or will information be lost as old ones die? The reason I ask this is that since brain cells don't regrow... maybe there is a reason? Will the new cells just be an inactive growth?
....
I think I confused myself.

I think immortality through technology is possible, though, but sacrifices would have to be made.

When you're a child your brain is still in development, your brain is still growing, and that is why young age is so fundamental. In elementary school you are taught many things that are new and strange, math, writing, reading, all sorts of things that take a lot of effort. But, at that age, our brains can take it because we can easilly make new neural connections to better suit the task at hand. I'm sure you remember something from when you were little, because you kept on having it told to you. That is how people learn, we forget things all the time as our brain cells die and neural connections are lost, however, things that are important or told to us many times stay in our memories longer because the new cells are learning and remembering what the old cells knew, and share information.

Now imagine your brain constantly being in this state, where you can always learn new things easilly. This would allow for people to be more productive if they had to keep up with changes in technology, or lifestyle.  

[Generic Troll Name]

Sanguvixen

But what sacrifices? Well...we would cease to look human

That's not much of a sacrifice, after all, the human body has many design flaws, which can lead to poor knees and sore backs, if we took the form of another animal, or perhaps a new animal, of our own design, we could have the ability to be more productive. If someone had a job that involved working in small caves the person should have a smaller frame with extra muscle for lifting rock and a stronger metal skeleton to help prevent damage if there was a collapse.

If someone had a job researching trees and wildlife in Africa, or something, they would probably want a much taller body, so they could have easier access to higher places, and a thinner body for faster movement.  

[Sanguvixen]

Generic Troll Name

Sanguvixen

But what sacrifices? Well...we would cease to look human

That's not much of a sacrifice, after all, the human body has many design flaws, which can lead to poor knees and sore backs, if we took the form of another animal, or perhaps a new animal, of our own design, we could have the ability to be more productive. If someone had a job that involved working in small caves the person should have a smaller frame with extra muscle for lifting rock and a stronger metal skeleton to help prevent damage if there was a collapse.

If someone had a job researching trees and wildlife in Africa, or something, they would probably want a much taller body, so they could have easier access to higher places, and a thinner body for faster movement.

Hmm....this reminds me slightly of the story I am working on....or was. Chapters 1 through 4 are in my Journal. The title is called Genology. You should read it!

 

[shaitan393]

I hope it is done!  

[Din_of_Serenity]

Assorted things we can do for immortality bits us in the a** in some way. For example, this guy on 30 Days was taking a testosterone and other stuff treatment. Some call it the road to immortality. With what they have now you'd be mortal from the immortal drugs as i like to call them than regukar life. I don't know much on the subject though, I'm only 8th grade.  

[Cheshire_Churchill]

Scientists probe anti-aging gene on mice
The above sight is fairly interesting.  

[LB-chan]

Sanguvixen

Derrot

The question with brain stem cells, though... would the new cells be able to receive the information from the old cells or would the replacement eventually make you another person? Basically, can memories be transferred to new cells or will information be lost as old ones die? The reason I ask this is that since brain cells don't regrow... maybe there is a reason? Will the new cells just be an inactive growth?
....
I think I confused myself.

I think immortality through technology is possible, though, but sacrifices would have to be made.

It think it is possible as well.

But what sacrifices? Well...we would cease to look human.

I personally don't want to ever grow old. I don't know..it's just my thing.
I wish there was a way to stop aging.

If you stop the process of aging...you stop death in a sense. Because we all die of either illness..accident..or old age.

I agree, I don't want to grow old either, freaks me out.

And I also do think it IS possibe to live through technology, I just don't see why you would want to. I'd hate to be a machine replacement of myself, I want to be the orignal me. The one thats human.  

[Generic Troll Name]

L.B.-chan

I'd hate to be a machine replacement of myself, I want to be the orignal me. The one thats human.

Human? What's so great about being human? I mean, it's not like there would just be a computer version of you, you'd still have your mind, and that is all that really counts, right?  

[LB-chan]

Generic Troll Name

L.B.-chan

I'd hate to be a machine replacement of myself, I want to be the orignal me. The one thats human.

Human? What's so great about being human? I mean, it's not like there would just be a computer version of you, you'd still have your mind, and that is all that really counts, right?

Beinging human isn't so great, I agree with you, but I'd rather be a human rather than a machine.

Even though you have your mind, would your lose your emotions and feeling? Would you lose the ability to touch. smell and taste things? I just wouldn't want to lose those qualities about myself so that I can live forever.  

[The Amazing Mr. Tommyos!]

Cheshire_Churchill

Scientists probe anti-aging gene on mice
The above sight is fairly interesting.

Indeed it is.  

[Generic Troll Name]

L.B.-chan

Even though you have your mind, would your lose your emotions and feeling?

Why would you have to? All your emotions are in your mind anyway, so you wouldn't lose any emotions, you would only gain added physical ability. Not to mention, robots can see, smell, hear, and touch, just like we can, so why can't we use that same kind of technology and have it send input to the brain?