Happy Atheist Forum

Is it possible, can it be done in our lifetime, are there any immortals amongst us, and would you take an immortality pill (or whatever) right now if you could?

I honestly believe that something close to it could be obtained within my lifetime, life extension and medical advancements in the mean time will make it more likely.

I haven't heard of any, nor can think of any way for them to be around... but you never know.


I would become immortal if I could, if only to do all the things I want to do.

You need to define the parameters of what you're calling immortality.

For instance, once the pill is taken, can one later decide to die and execute that wish?

I think that when people want immortality, what they want is the ability to live until they want to die. Basically have absolute control over the duration of one's existence.

If that's what you're talking about, sign me up.

That said, I don't think immortality will come from one treatment, I think it will sneak up on us as we become able to individually treat all the different things that kill us.

This guy's trying to fix that pesky thing called death.

[youtube:279vi4si]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iYpxRXlboQ[/youtube:279vi4si]

I'm somewhat inclined to believe that the Alchemists may have discovered something at some point.

Either way, I'd only take an "immortality pill" if it would allow me to execute myself at some point. Yes, a few hundred thousand, maybe even million years would be enjoyable. But to live forever, and ever, and ever... That would be torture if ever there was a torture.

Quote from: "ForTheLoveOfAll"This guy's trying to fix that pesky thing called death.[youtube:29inmkdp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iYpxRXlboQ[/youtube:29inmkdp]

Thanks - interesting TED talk.
He does raise some good points, and has a different perspective on the future problems.

Also looks like he's been experimenting on his beard longevity...

QuoteThat said, I don't think immortality will come from one treatment, I think it will sneak up on us as we become able to individually treat all the different things that kill us.

Oh, I doubt that. If, in fact, we are able to one day effectively treat every single human ailment, then the Earth's human population would grow to such huge proportions that it may very well cause a mass extinction of life on Earth, including our own species.

Quote from: "terranus"

QuoteThat said, I don't think immortality will come from one treatment, I think it will sneak up on us as we become able to individually treat all the different things that kill us.

Oh, I doubt that. If, in fact, we are able to one day effectively treat every single human ailment, then the Earth's human population would grow to such huge proportions that it may very well cause a mass extinction of life on Earth, including our own species.

By the time we are able to do that, wouldn't we have already learned how to control population growth?

I would choose to live until I wished to die, I think it'd be interesting, as long as I could pick a handful of people to take with me on this immortal venture.
   Capering through the centuries with a few friends and loved ones sounds like a lot of fun, as long as it can be ended at my own discretion.
   I think that if given a few hundred years I might actually even be able to finish my writing projects. So yes, I'd take the pill.

Quote from: "joeactor"

Quote from: "ForTheLoveOfAll"This guy's trying to fix that pesky thing called death.[youtube:14o56gpt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iYpxRXlboQ[/youtube:14o56gpt]

Also looks like he's been experimenting on his beard longevity...

First time I saw him I thought "Aubrey De Gray? Doesn't he mean Gandalf De Gray?"

I'd be comfortable with a finite number of years, say 90, to live as long as my body would only age to about 40.

Cadmium poisoning would kill you in about 450 years anyways...

That said, I'm not really interested in even one hundred years of work-home-sleep-repeat.  

Quote from: "Asmodean"Cadmium poisoning would kill you in about 450 years anyways...

That said, I'm not really interested in even one hundred years of work-home-sleep-repeat.  

Some people love what they do for a living.

Quote from: "AnimatedDirt"Some people love what they do for a living.

...And doing the work is not the point in my comment.

Quote from: "Byronazriel"Is it possible, can it be done in our lifetime,

For humans? Probably not in our lifetime, but it is possible.

Quote from: "Byronazriel"are there any immortals amongst us,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turritopsis_nutricula (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turritopsis_nutricula)

Quote from: "Byronazriel"and would you take an immortality pill (or whatever) right now if you could?

Absolutely, so long as it also means eternal youth. I'd like to physically be in my late 20s to early 30s, not get stuck getting older and older. Assuming I could become immortal, I would learn every discipline in existence, from sciences to arts to history to literature, to mathematics. I'd like to visit the whole world, learning every culture, custom and language. I think, also, I'd like to, at some point, build myself a sailboat from scratch (really from scratch, as in even making my own sail from hemp and nails from smelted iron and carbon) and live on the ocean for a few years, maybe decades. I figure by the time I've experienced everything there is to experience on earth, I can then focus all my energies and accumulated knowledge on exploring the solar system and eventually the galaxy.

QuoteBy the time we are able to do that, wouldn't we have already learned how to control population growth?

Nope. Check it out: LINK (http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110303/sc_livescience/humansonvergeofcausing6thgreatmassextinction)

Quote from: "terranus"

QuoteBy the time we are able to do that, wouldn't we have already learned how to control population growth?

Nope. Check it out: LINK (http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110303/sc_livescience/humansonvergeofcausing6thgreatmassextinction)

Relevance...?

Been listening to some lectures by Dr. Anthony B. Goodman lately, he touched on the subject of the quest for immortality.
He doesn't see it as being a possibility, not for a few more centuries, at least.

Quote from: "LegendarySandwich"

Quote from: "terranus"

QuoteBy the time we are able to do that, wouldn't we have already learned how to control population growth?

Nope. Check it out: LINK (http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110303/sc_livescience/humansonvergeofcausing6thgreatmassextinction)

Relevance...?

Obviously, if we cause another great mass extinction, then do you really think population control will matter?

Nature has it's own form of population control. One which I think will take effect long before we humans learn to control our own population. You realize many middle-eastern governments are actively spreading anti-contraceptive propaganda and paying women to have more babies, right? You really think those people give 2 shits about population control?

Yes, because the middle east is the perfect example of the best of humanity. Socially, many of those countries are medieval. You also forgot all the violence and tension going on over there. Polution will be a nonissue extinction wise at some point in the first half of the 21st century. Technologies that can reverse pollution are rapidly advancing as well as new sources of energy that will get us off this self defeating path. Barring yellow stone blows, a meteorite or some other incredibly unlikely event happens in the next 60 years the human race is going to be just peachy as far as survival goes.

*Obligatory statement about trans-humanism goes here, just pretend I said it, don't think I need to explain it anymore*

Quote from: "Will"Absolutely, so long as it also means eternal youth. I'd like to physically be in my late 20s to early 30s, not get stuck getting older and older. Assuming I could become immortal, I would learn every discipline in existence, from sciences to arts to history to literature, to mathematics. I'd like to visit the whole world, learning every culture, custom and language. I think, also, I'd like to, at some point, build myself a sailboat from scratch (really from scratch, as in even making my own sail from hemp and nails from smelted iron and carbon) and live on the ocean for a few years, maybe decades. I figure by the time I've experienced everything there is to experience on earth, I can then focus all my energies and accumulated knowledge on exploring the solar system and eventually the galaxy.

In Greek mythology, Eos asked Zues for Tithonus' immortality, but forgot to ask for his eternal youth.  Tithonus lived forever and continued to age until he couldn't move.  He turned into a Cicada.  I don't want to turn into a Cicada.

Being a cicada is not so bad, by then they'd probably have the technology to let you watch tv and surf the web.

You could also be put into a robot body. With chainsaws for arms and lightsabers for fingers. Giant arcs of electricity would be your hair, and you'd eat delicious metals for dinner and your poop would be akin to modern art.

Quote from: "Byronazriel"You could also be put into a robot body. With chainsaws for arms and lightsabers for fingers.

Seriously..?

What about projectile weapons? Something to out-range, say, a surface-to-surface missile? Against one of those, neither chainsaw nor sabre would be any help.  :verysad:

Who says a lightblade can't be a projectile? Throwing your sword always works!

Quote from: "Byronazriel"Throwing your sword always works!

No, it actually does not. Throwing knives might do some small work, but swords... Throwing those is a last-ditch thing.

'Sides, what good does that do you at ranges of several kilometers where you actually need a nice ballistic trajectory to even come close to hitting the target?

NSFW: Lotsa blood.
[spoiler:gsx5cek7][youtube:gsx5cek7]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OsJA7Vc53w[/youtube:gsx5cek7][/spoiler:gsx5cek7]

Say that to Paladin Anderson.

Quote from: "Byronazriel"Say that to Paladin Anderson.

I'd much rather say it to whoever wrote the story behind that thing, what with the guy being an animated figure and all...

It's not the characters that are the problem - it's the creators thereof ignoring common sense when it comes to the use of weapons... Or gravity... Or lasers... Or... Ah, you name it - they abuse it.

Quote from: "Ultima22689"Yes, because the middle east is the perfect example of the best of humanity. Socially, many of those countries are medieval. You also forgot all the violence and tension going on over there. Polution will be a nonissue extinction wise at some point in the first half of the 21st century. Technologies that can reverse pollution are rapidly advancing as well as new sources of energy that will get us off this self defeating path. Barring yellow stone blows, a meteorite or some other incredibly unlikely event happens in the next 60 years the human race is going to be just peachy as far as survival goes.

*Obligatory statement about trans-humanism goes here, just pretend I said it, don't think I need to explain it anymore*

Hmm...well I guess I seem to have a slighty less optimistic view than you. I happen to agree with the idea that we, as in America and other technologically-advanced modern countries are experiencing an intellectual slide or at best stagnation right now. Plus, I mean, you can invent all the technology you want, but eventually with so many humans on this planet, the resources to make new technology are going to run out. In fact, the resources to make ANYTHING are going to run out. Unless we can technologically figure out how to make food and water and electricity out of thin air, then I don't see the human race surviving for very long with a population @ 9 billion by 2050.

You can't let something as banal as realism get in the way of a good story!

Quote from: "terranus"

Quote from: "Ultima22689"Yes, because the middle east is the perfect example of the best of humanity. Socially, many of those countries are medieval. You also forgot all the violence and tension going on over there. Polution will be a nonissue extinction wise at some point in the first half of the 21st century. Technologies that can reverse pollution are rapidly advancing as well as new sources of energy that will get us off this self defeating path. Barring yellow stone blows, a meteorite or some other incredibly unlikely event happens in the next 60 years the human race is going to be just peachy as far as survival goes.

*Obligatory statement about trans-humanism goes here, just pretend I said it, don't think I need to explain it anymore*

Hmm...well I guess I seem to have a slighty less optimistic view than you. I happen to agree with the idea that we, as in America and other technologically-advanced modern countries are experiencing an intellectual slide or at best stagnation right now. Plus, I mean, you can invent all the technology you want, but eventually with so many humans on this planet, the resources to make new technology are going to run out. In fact, the resources to make ANYTHING are going to run out. Unless we can technologically figure out how to make food and water and electricity out of thin air, then I don't see the human race surviving for very long with a population @ 9 billion by 2050.

Actually we are finding new sources of materials for electronics, nanotech for example borrow heavily from carbon nanotubes, something which we have tons of, also we are discovering ways to produce useful materials in artificial ways and finding ways to grow vast amounts of food in new ways, a search on google will result in several projects that change how we produce electricity, food and water to support a population well above our own. Also, i'd imagine that a cybernetic organism could be made to be more efficient when it comes to energy consumption as far as food and water goes. It's odd to assume that we would somehow achieve immortality and not solve many of the problems you bring up.

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_blogg ... nimal.html (http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/26/the-world-s-only-immortal-animal.html)

 >:)

Quote from: "Byronazriel"You can't let something as banal as realism get in the way of a good story!

Of course, I can. You can not make do with just realism in fantasy or sci-fi, of course, but what you CAN do, is attempt to properly explain how the unrealistic things work. For instance, where does magic come from? Why does a particular sword not dull? What does the phase of the moon have to do with werewolves? How does one limit the length of a light sword with no hard components beyond the hilt? How does one keep the plasma projectiles hot in space over great distances? You don't have to explain everything, but just claiming "superior technology" or "magical powers" does not get you far in the eyes of this reader and watcher    

You see, it's not so much about earthly realism as about making a fantasy character, object or event believable within its respective world and makinbg that world make logical sense within itself and seen from our world.

As an example, Wheel of Time series is a very good attempt at that.

Some of those things I don't know about, but I'm pretty sure the sword not dulling has something to do with rolling between 13 and 20 on a 20-sided die.

Anderson's baldes are incribed, and blessed. Basically god did it.

Quote from: "Byronazriel"Anderson's baldes are incribed, and blessed. Basically god did it.

You see, that there is an example of a bad explanation. Not the worst one out there - inscribing something with magic is supposed to have some effect, but still bad.

He's also a geetically altered super soldier.

Quote from: "Byronazriel"He's also a geetically altered super soldier.

...Better. (I say better because I assume it is somewhere explained who he was altered by, how* and for what purpose)

*Not demanding a scientific explanation of the process. A cool-looking biotank with tubes and hoses and scientists and whatnots would be answer enough for that.

EDIT: Grammar fail corrected

http://hellsing.wikia.com/wiki/Alexander_Anderson

Quote from: "Byronazriel"http://hellsing.wikia.com/wiki/Alexander_Anderson

Very thin in places, but I must admit this appears far better thought through than most within the genre.

QuoteIt's odd to assume that we would somehow achieve immortality and not solve many of the problems you bring up.

Hmm...yes I guess now that I think more about it, our immortality would have to include being able to solve the problems of limited natural resources, or else it wouldn't really be true immortality, would it?

In that case, I'm afraid I am forced to assume that we will not reach true immortality.

Quote from: "terranus"

QuoteIt's odd to assume that we would somehow achieve immortality and not solve many of the problems you bring up.

Hmm...yes I guess now that I think more about it, our immortality would have to include being able to solve the problems of limited natural resources, or else it wouldn't really be true immortality, would it?

In that case, I'm afraid I am forced to assume that we will not reach true immortality.

What I'm saying is that by the time we have the technology to be able to make ourselves immortal, it's probable that problems concerning natural resources and overpopulation would already be solved, at least partially. Maybe not, but I think it's at least likely. I guess I'm just a humanist -- I have "faith" that we will eventually solve most or all of our ills.

Quote from: "Asmodean"Of course, I can. You can not make do with just realism in fantasy or sci-fi, of course, but what you CAN do, is attempt to properly explain how the unrealistic things work. For instance, where does magic come from? Why does a particular sword not dull? What does the phase of the moon have to do with werewolves? How does one limit the length of a light sword with no hard components beyond the hilt? How does one keep the plasma projectiles hot in space over great distances? You don't have to explain everything, but just claiming "superior technology" or "magical powers" does not get you far in the eyes of this reader and watcher    

You see, it's not so much about earthly realism as about making a fantasy character, object or event believable within its respective world and makinbg that world make logical sense within itself and seen from our world.

As an example, Wheel of Time series is a very good attempt at that.

Agreed. I think that too often writers make the assumption that just because they're writing a science fiction or fantasy story, that means logic can go out the door.

I refute your points, both of them!

(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdemotivate.me%2Fmediafiles%2F500%2F4162010103911AM_portal-thumb-410x378.jpg&hash=f06c9562cbdfac118f84a48bcc0bed1e5d1db8fd)

(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fverydemotivational.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2Ftesbp1.jpg&hash=9eb44d35075a5c16d332810c28babd6c9d5b2850)

QuoteWhat I'm saying is that by the time we have the technology to be able to make ourselves immortal, it's probable that problems concerning natural resources and overpopulation would already be solved, at least partially. Maybe not, but I think it's at least likely. I guess I'm just a humanist -- I have "faith" that we will eventually solve most or all of our ills.

I understand exactly what you're saying. I just don't think we'll ever reach the point where we have said technology available. I think the problems of overpopulation and dwindling resources will become too overwhelming too quickly for science to ever advance that far. Guess I'm just a pessimist.

Quote from: "Byronazriel"Being a cicada is not so bad, by then they'd probably have the technology to let you watch tv and surf the web.

You could also be put into a robot body. With chainsaws for arms and lightsabers for fingers. Giant arcs of electricity would be your hair, and you'd eat delicious metals for dinner and your poop would be akin to modern art.

Urgh...the things they call art.

Quote from: "xSilverPhinx"Urgh...the things they call art.

QFT.  :eek: "

Then again... I suppose  :verysad:

(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-F0wGZMIhFNg%2FTVYHP5DlEDI%2FAAAAAAAABAE%2FVklTr1qAT4M%2Fs640%2Fblack%2Bsquare.jpg%23&hash=a83921554fb42599fec722deffd92a8f0f90ba81)http://paulgisbrecht.blogspot.com/p/black-square.html

I remember seeing this is art history class, and my thoughts, summed up were
w-t-f!

It's called art, people! Besides, it's certainly better than my work...

(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffc05.deviantart.net%2Ffs70%2Ff%2F2011%2F099%2F6%2F1%2Fheavy_weapons_bison_by_tuddrussell-d3dm6fu.jpg&hash=8127ab460662e1485e2d2b749422246ee1c76c2e)