[extropy-chat] Essay on Physical Immortality

[Hubert Mania]

Robert said:

> Hubert -- I believe Mark is intending this as an academic paper, not
> for general consumption.....this stuff of rights, shoulds, oughts,
> cans and can'ts does get discussed in styles similar to that that
> Mark is using.

Well, you're right, particularly as Mark has meanwhile stated himself. That
style of writing and talking was one reason why I fled from University
(German; Anglistics) and never choose an academic career. It would be an
interesting job though to rewrite Mark's article in a way that satisfies
academics and interested laymen, too.

> I thought your comment about these things being "obvious" to people
> with an ounce of common sense was interesting.  In my reading of the
> paper (I'm about 2/3 of the way through) it seems clear that Mark
> is trying to present a response to Kass -- that it is immoral
> to attempt to prevent people from having access to life extending
> technologies.

Maybe my own thinking lacks depth and thoroughness, but I think we might
never get into a situation where we have this conflict, that people deny us
access to life extending technologies. We either get it or we don't get it
at all. The situation in Germany for example seems to lead to the point
where all social forces of the country have to agree on techniques that
might lead to immortality.

The former President of the Max Planck societies for example said in an
interview about uploading techniques, he had no fear about these things. He
trusted in the social coordination process, a slow development that might
lead to a solution that is acceptable for everybody.

Well, slow enough probably to see all of us rotting away slowly under Alcor
ice or a bit faster covered with damn ole Mother Earth. 

> It was only the use of the term "immortality" that I got stuck on.
> We really need to come up with a better word -- making one up
> if necessary

What about *relative immortality* for the time being? It's simple enough,
no sophisticated Greek required and relatively clear that you can still die
in an accident or being caught and eaten up by a contemporary cannibal.

Hubert