Immortality

[Byronazriel]

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.

[dloubet]

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.

[ForTheLoveOfAll]

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.

[joeactor]

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...

[terranus]

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.

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.

[LegendarySandwich]

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.

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?

[skwurll]

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.

[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?"

[hismikeness]

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.

[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.  

[AnimatedDirt]

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.

[Asmodean]

Some people love what they do for a living.

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

[Will]

Is it possible, can it be done in our lifetime,

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

are there any immortals amongst us,

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

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.

[terranus]

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

Nope. Check it out: LINK

[LegendarySandwich]

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

Nope. Check it out: LINK

Relevance...?