News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by epicureanideal on Thursday December 16, 2021 @02:26AM (#29575920)
I think you make some good points, but I also think it's useful that this article was published. It's important to get the idea out there that human lifespan can be extended, so more funding can be directed to that.
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by Joker_vD on Thursday December 16, 2021 @06:49AM (#29577278)
But it's already known and is being actively researched? E.g. low-calorie, high-nutrient diet has been demonstrated to improve life span in several species including (non-human) primates, and that was all done already before 2000. Today's almost 2022.
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by robbiep on Thursday December 16, 2021 @04:13AM (#29576463)
But ideas in junk journals don’t ‘help’ that idea, and it isn’t a novel idea in the first place, there are literally senescence institutes studying this problem
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by mensetmanusman on Thursday December 16, 2021 @07:20AM (#29577448)
A future where we are approaching 75% of Americans being obese suffering from related health ailments and where the ultra-wealthy are living for millennia. Seems more reasonable every day.
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by nradov on Thursday December 16, 2021 @10:13AM (#29578916)
That's like saying that it's useful for alchemists to publish articles so that more funding can be directed to transmuting lead into gold. This is just pseudoscience woo.
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by BrazzVuvuzela on Thursday December 16, 2021 @05:45AM (#29576964)
> It's important to get the idea out there that human lifespan can be extended, so more funding can be directed to that.

The jump from "could" to "should" seems questionable at best. What's so great about the rich elite living to be 200 years old? Would you like a bunch of people from the 19th century still around, influencing politicians with their money today? It would slow down the rate of social progress. It would also increase wealth inequality, since money hoarded by one generation tends to be squandered by the subsequent. There's also an argument to be made that science advances one funeral at a time; keeping people around loong after their expiration date would likely slow down the rate of scientific progress as well.

Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by andai on Thursday December 16, 2021 @06:29AM (#29577183)
Sounds like we should aim to reduce lifespan, then?
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by BrazzVuvuzela on Thursday December 16, 2021 @06:47AM (#29577266)
Or just leave it the fuck alone?
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by ben_w on Thursday December 16, 2021 @07:09AM (#29577381)
No, what you’ve listed are all reasons for shorter lifespans.

There are other reasons for longer lifespans, but you’re implicitly saying all of them combined are not enough to counter the reasons you give.

Now, I’m not certain either way about the broader social impacts — I personally very much want to live longer, and yet I am also aware that my personal interests are not always aligned with group interests, e.g. tragedy of commons, Nash equilibrium, prisoners’ dilemma — but it is extremely unlikely that any negative consequences are perfectly balanced to positives either personally or collectively, so I am absolutely certain that the one thing we should not do is leave lifespan as is.

Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by BrazzVuvuzela on Thursday December 16, 2021 @07:16AM (#29577419)
If you want to take my arguments as extolling murder, that's on you buddy. I'm arguing for nonintervention, based on the precautionary principle. This technology has substantial potential for social harm and should not be pursued until all of those concerns are addressed.
Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by ben_w on Thursday December 16, 2021 @10:54AM (#29579449)
> I'm arguing for nonintervention, based on the precautionary principle.

That’s fine, but not what you wrote before.

> This technology has substantial potential for social harm

Yup, like everything.

> and should not be pursued until all of those concerns are addressed.

Nope.

Because death itself has direct harm — indeed, it is widely regarded as the either the worst or among the worst things one person can do to another — the burden of proof is on those who say it would be bad to delay death as much as possible.

I mean, we already delay death as much as possible with all kinds of medical interventions.

Re:No limit to maximal lifespan in humans: how to beat a 122... by metroholografix on Saturday December 18, 2021 @05:50PM (#29609400)
> What's so great about the rich elite living to be 200 years old? Would you like a bunch of people from the 19th century still around, influencing politicians with their money today?

You just described "Vampire: The Masquerade"