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By the time children today are old enough to die from natural causes, we'll have a cure for that.

At some point I think we will 'cure' cellular senescence. Then humans can stay physically in their prime, indefinitely. But there are other limits, like memory. Because memories require physical space, there is only room for a limited amount.
I think we can get past that either naturally, by overwriting old memories, or artificially, by augmenting memory with technology. Research is already looking at brain augmentation with electronics.

So what will be the ultimate limit? Or will humans achieve immortality?
By the time children today are old enough to die from natural causes, we'll have a cure for that. At some point I think we will 'cure' cellular senescence. Then humans can stay physically in their prime, indefinitely. But there are other limits, like memory. Because memories require physical space, there is only room for a limited amount. I think we can get past that either naturally, by overwriting old memories, or artificially, by augmenting memory with technology. Research is already looking at brain augmentation with electronics. So what will be the ultimate limit? Or will humans achieve immortality?

24 comments

[–] Owlchemy 3 points (+3|-0)

I hate to sound like a fatalist ... but my question would be 'why would anyone want to live forever?' It just seems to me that there would come a time when you've done everything you wanted to do, seen everything you wanted to see, and would be faced with an endless, boring existence.

This also adds an element of selfishness. Why shouldn't new people be born to replace me and have the experience of life? Clearly you couldn't still reproduce and have this world as you outline it. It's seems more problematical to me than it would be of value. Maybe that's me though.
[–] Hitchens 2 points (+2|-0)

I’d only want to stay alive if my body and skin stayed 25 years old forever. What’s the point of living forever if you look and feel like the crypt keeper for eternity.

[–] InnocentBystander [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

If they found a way to stop cellular senescence, you would.
Probably more like 28-30, whenever you physically peaked.
[–] OeeThaGreat 1 points (+1|-0)

Suicide booths would become a thing if people could live forever.

[–] InnocentBystander [OP] 0 points (+0|-0) Edited

It's seems more problematical to me than it would be of value.

I would generally agree, but it's gonna happen anyway.
There will be very severe consequences, and I can't even guess how it will end.

Clearly you couldn't still reproduce and have this world as you outline it.

Maybe if we colonize other planets, or start more wars.
It would be somewhat mitigated naturally, since anyone with access to that level of prosperity is likely have low birth rates, anyway.
I would suspect birthrates may fall even more since some motivation toward having children is to pass on genes. It's another way to live forever.

Like it or not, humanity will always seek to prolong life. If I think about living forever, I agree that it doesn't sound like fun.
But if you will never die of natural causes, do you think you would wake up one day and feel you've had enough, then suicide? Or Maybe just opt-out of medical treatment at some point?
You could end up accidentally becoming immortal if you don't plan a premature death. :)
[–] Owlchemy 1 points (+1|-0)

I'm fairly certain that science will get us to a point where we no longer have to die. Even where we can remain young artificially and live a decent life as we age. But this has always been the stuff of sci-fi where it ends up being a curse rather than a blessing. I doubt that we'll conquer other worlds to inhabit before the medical breakthroughs for this are achieved, though ... so that means that all of society would need to change drastically. Then who decides who lives and who can never be born ... that's where it gets scary to me.

The rich and connected ... hell no.

Or will the cosmo or Mother Earth decide they've had enough of us? We live in a very fragile world where any day the sun could belch and destroy life as we know it ... an asteroid could bump the moon out of orbit destroying us in the process ... or a super nova from light years away could bombard us with radiation that would burn the Earth to a crisp. Then there could be new organisms that evolve that would wipe out humanity long before science could combat them.

I like things the way they are ... death is simply the big unknown ... you either enter the next amazing adventure, or all is dark for eternity.

[–] InnocentBystander [OP] 0 points (+0|-0)

I doubt that we'll conquer other worlds to inhabit before the medical breakthroughs for this are achieved

I think you're right there. Other worlds could actually make that viable, but we'll get the abilities in the wrong order.

Then who decides who lives and who can never be born ... that's where it gets scary to me.

And it should. I don't know what will happen, but I think it will get messy at points.
Ironically a lot of people are going to die over some next-level health care debates. That alone may reduce the population enough.

any day the sun could belch and destroy life as we know it

All we can do is continue to hope.

I like things the way they are ... death is simply the big unknown ... you either enter the next amazing adventure, or all is dark for eternity.

Well good news then. You and I will be dead from some of the last 'natural' causes, before the shit hits the fan.
Sometimes it pays to be an oldphuk.
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