Re:Why We Age, Part III: Can We Live Forever?
by JoshTriplett on Tuesday June 02, 2015 @04:20PM
(#9648666)
1) Lack of visibility; how many people even know this research is going on, and that it's potentially close enough to not classify as science fiction?
2) A perception as "natural", together with the naturalistic fallacy. The black plague and cancer are "natural" too, but we have no qualms eradicating them; yet for some reason, people romanticize death, especially when thinking primarily about it applying to other people rather than themselves.
3) Related to that naturalistic fallacy, aging afflicts a less sympathetic group. Given a disease that strikes down the "young and healthy", or the affliction hidden behind such thoughtless and abominable phrases as "it was their time" or "natural causes", the former will tend to attract more funding.
4) In a word, spirituality, whether spoken of or otherwise.
5) Too many crackpots through history have tried to peddle life extension, creating guilt by association.
2) A perception as "natural", together with the naturalistic fallacy. The black plague and cancer are "natural" too, but we have no qualms eradicating them; yet for some reason, people romanticize death, especially when thinking primarily about it applying to other people rather than themselves.
3) Related to that naturalistic fallacy, aging afflicts a less sympathetic group. Given a disease that strikes down the "young and healthy", or the affliction hidden behind such thoughtless and abominable phrases as "it was their time" or "natural causes", the former will tend to attract more funding.
4) In a word, spirituality, whether spoken of or otherwise.
5) Too many crackpots through history have tried to peddle life extension, creating guilt by association.