IMMORTAL-"Mutant Planet" is a fantastic series on the Science Channel that elucidates the intricacies of evolution by explaining "mutations" and "adaptations." From the Lemurs of Madagascar, to the Kiwis in New Zealand, every species on Earth is in a persistent struggle to simply exist, and the competition is fierce. Each modern species is gorgeously adapted to its habitat, but environmental changes can happen quickly, (e.g. the castastrophic asteroid that destroyed all non-avian dinosaurs 65 million years ago.) As human beings (homo sapiens,) we are a relatively young species on the playing field at approximately 200,000 years, but we have developed a powerful weapon of survival in our short time here on the 4.54 billion year old planet. This "weapon" is SCIENCE. It is our trump card in Richard Dawkin's "evolutionary arms race" that every one of the millions of species here on Earth are involved in by evolution through natural selection. How we will use our species' expanded mental capabilities that evolved in the last 50,000 years is the important question. How far will we propel medicine?
Currently, scientists are researching the "DNA damage theory of aging." DNA damage occurs frequently within each of our cells, but DNA repair processes have evolved to compensate for most of this damage, however through time, DNA damage accumulates, and we inevitably die. Science is rapidly escalating technology and medicine to fight DNA damage. The implications of complete DNA repair processes could lead to the possibility for a human being to live indefinitely. The movement associated with the advancement toward human immortality is called Transhumanism. It predicts that, at the current rate of technological and medicinal advancement of knowledge, human beings may be able to eventually transform themselves into beings with such greatly expanded abilities as to merit the label "posthuman"(1).
Embryonic and adult stem-cell research, in my opinion, are our most important opportunity to advance our physical life and capabilities. Stem cells are found within every multi-cellular organism, and have the ability to renew themselves through mitosis, and differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cells. Therefore, in simple terms, stem-cells bring the potential for us to essentially "grow" an organ in the laboratory. In the future, medical researchers anticipate being able to use technologies derived from stem cell research to treat a wide variety of diseases including cancer, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and muscle damage, amongst a number of other impairments and conditions (2)(3).
Of course, these possibilities will invariably produce ethical and moral dilemmas within each of us, but my vision for life is a place where pain and suffering are non-existent. Perhaps, an immortal human body would present more problems for us as a civilization, but at the very least, I feel that science has the distinguished opportunity to be a panacea for all disease. Imagine a life where you could live as many years as you wanted, choose to die if you felt you have served your purpose, and had freedom from the atrocities of something such as cancer. No longer would we have patients on waiting lists for an organ transplant. No longer would we have to worry about our children being born with birth-defects, and possibly suffering for many years. This world would be kind, compassionate, knowledgeable, reasonable, rational, and perhaps most importantly, SCIENTIFIC.
Sidenote: President Obama has been a wonderful spark for the scientific community by lifting Bush-era blockades on stem-cell research funding, and he promotes "scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology." He also stated, "medical miracles do not happen simply by accident(4)."
1. Bostrom, Nick (2005). "A history of transhumanist thought" (PDF). Journal of Evolution and Technology. http://www.nickbostrom.com/papers/history.pdf. Retrieved 2006-02-21
2. Lindvall O (2003). "Stem cells for cell therapy in Parkinson's disease". Pharmacol Res 47 (4): 279–87.
3. Goldman S, Windrem M (2006). "Cell replacement therapy in neurological disease". Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 361 (1473): 1463–75.
4. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29586269/
1 comment:
I appreciate your idealism as I am the same way. However, I have a different vision of the future, one in which all humankind worship the Father and Christ as their Savior. As a result, this would be a world filled with love, kindness and compassion, knowledge of the Truth, reasonableness, rationality and SCIENCE (but not most of all). Regarding the later, I’m sure I’ve raised this issue before and haven’t heard a response from you. Since Christians, particularly those who accepted a literal 6 day creation, founded the majority of science that you enjoy (and worship) today, it is odd to me that you would embrace science, but then reject the foundation of science which Christians built upon. That is, the wonderful and fascinating discovery of God’s CREATION.
In addition, I don’t think you’ve put enough thought into your scenario of the future. Immortality would produce a world filled with anguish, jealousy, hatred, death (yes death!), murder, suicide, war, genocide, euthanasia and atrocities we can only imagine. If we could live forever, the population of the earth would explode. Governments would create laws forcing people beyond a certain age to be put to death. Anyone not fit for the ideal vision of a human contributor to society would be put to death, perhaps one of your loved ones. Governments would be at war for every square inch of the earth, wiping out entire nations to attain them. Not a pretty site. I praise God that He was merciful enough to allow us only a short time on this earth to be followed by everlasting happiness with Him. Of course, that is a CHOICE, something which you appear to endorse.
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