@z:
I think you are about to turn the words "life", "death", and "self" into things they simply are not. They are ontological existential value statements of context that can not be talked about the way you wish to - they are not scientific or universally applicable logical realities in this case.
OK, then please answer my simple question I posted before:
"Just so I can understand everyone who "wouldn't necc want to live forever", are you suggesting that there exists a time in the future whereby, when asked if you'd rather live or die tomorrow, your answer would be the latter?"
I don't know. I am not clever enough to picture it. As far as I know no such desirable thing as "an immortality life plan" exists, as demonstrated by my actions. I wouldn't even know what I would mean if I were to say "all things being equal..."
I can say I have taken certain medications in the past to prevent me from dying, or avoided a car, or a knife, etc in order not to die. I can also say that there were times in my life where I clearly, willingly did put myself in high risk situations. So even my past history leaves me nothing to go by.
Evolution seems to consistently ensure that the unwashed (herd) out-procreate the elite (by definition), as if the symbiotic herd+elite is the only viable mode of humanity's existence/persistence. -- z1235
Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine - Elvis Presley
AaronBurr:
As for evoloution we are devolving as a people since we encourage the useless,criminal and feckless to breed and take advantage of welfare systems whilst the most able people generally have teh least children.
Evolution seems to consistently ensure that the unwashed (herd) out-procreate the elite (by definition), as if the symbiotic herd+elite is the only viable mode of humanity's existence/persistence.
Holy Shit! You guys ever ask yourself why you bother caring about the social sciences at all? I won't even get into the fact that you just personified / turned into a metaphor evolution. Devolving?
That said Devo, is an awesome band, and Are We Not Men is one of the best albums of all time (and from Ohio too):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItEUIG09pYE
I take it then LIBERTY STUDENT
That you have no evidnece for Transhumanists being 'losers' and it was just a cheap attempt at insult.
William: Evolution seems to consistently ensure that the unwashed (herd) out-procreate the elite (by definition), as if the symbiotic herd+elite is the only viable mode of humanity's existence/persistence. Holy Shit! You guys ever ask yourself why you bother caring about the social sciences at all? I won't even get into the fact that you just personified / turned into a metaphor evolution. Devolving?
"You guys"? Who are you responding to? My above observation falls under social sciences. The elites need the herd just as much as the herd needs the elites, hence "symbiotic". Ethical questions aside, eugenics is a pipe dream because "no-herd, all-elite" humanity is not sustainable, IMO. So, even from evolutionary perspective, all is good when the herd out-procreates the elites. Btw, I never used "devolving".
AaraonBurr:I take it then LIBERTY STUDENT That you have no evidnece for Transhumanists being 'losers' and it was just a cheap attempt at insult.
Of course it was. If anything, it shows that liberty student is an "underachiever" when it comes to learning: the history of transhumanism showcases very successful people, like Ray Kurzweil, Patri Friedman, Aubrey de Grey, Marvin Minsky, and many others.
"I'm not a fan of Murray Rothbard." -- David D. Friedman
I certainly don't intend to ever die. What's the difference between dying in 30 years, 30 days, or 30 seconds? It is only that there is a longer time span in which my life circumstances could change. After 30 years it is conceivable that I may want to die, but life extension wouldn't do anything to make suicide impossible anyway.
Generally, though, decaying and dying seem to be negative outcomes, and I will devote as many resources to avoiding them being thrust upon me as seem prudent given my changing value structure - probably more and more as I get older.
Personally, I've been hearing all my life about the Serious Philosophical Issues posed by life extension, and my attitude has always been that I'm willing to grapple with those issues for as many centuries as it takes.
-- Patrick Nielsen Hayden
Why anarchy fails
AaronBurr: I take it then LIBERTY STUDENT That you have no evidnece for Transhumanists being 'losers' and it was just a cheap attempt at insult.
Did I call transhumanists losers?
My above observation falls under social sciences.
OK. I'll give this the benefit of the doubt, and skip al the questionsand doubts I have to what you are stating, except this...
What is the point of conducting social science and using terms like "unwashed herd" and "elite"? Honestly there are probably better ways to phrase this to create a better, and frankly more scientifically/philosophically responsible world picture. You do not think there are less pretentious words out there?
William, it's just one of the predictive models for reality that I use to survive and thrive. We all do it. Don't read too much into it.
Fair enough.
Do any technologists want to chime in on the likelihood that we* will be able to live forever? I know that Kurzweil thinks so and he is in his sixties, I think. The hypothesis rests on Moore's law and its extension to the celluar level, right? I have heard some argue that Moore's law can't be extended to the level necessary to have nanobots that essentially make us immortal. Your thoughts?
*Let's say those in their fifties-sixties and younger.
If we develop human-level AI, we almost certainly can extend life for a very (very) long time. I don't know how close we are, but I'm guessing within 50 years. I'd say if you are 50 now and keep healthy in the meantime there is a decent chance, but this kind of thing is radically uncertain.
Liberty Student:
You said
People who want immortality generally seem to be powerless in the present, and underachievers. Achievers are too busy pwning the here.
That looks pretty clear to me. Do you have any evidence for this oris it just a cheap jibe against someone who dares to have different ideas?