# On this matter of massive human life extension. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 28, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029 "2006-11-28T03:55:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/21 "2006-11-29T01:05:06Z")
As Susan Ertz observed: “Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy afternoon”. ---
**Author:** ![Nothing\_Special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@Nothing\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nothing_Special)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/22 "2006-11-29T03:15:10Z")
[QUOTE=glee] As Susan Ertz observed: “Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy afternoon”. [/QUOTE] We aren’t talking about immortality, and never have been. Susan Ertz was a depressed loser. But plenty of people who know exactly what they would want to do with a Saturday afternoon also want to live a lot longer. That’s who we’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/23 "2006-11-29T03:46:05Z")
[QUOTE=Nothing Special] We aren’t talking about immortality, and never have been. Susan Ertz was a depressed loser. But plenty of people who know exactly what they would want to do with a Saturday afternoon also want to live a lot longer. That’s who we’re talking about. [/QUOTE] Goodness me. :rolleyes: I was making a interesting point and you dive in? How will we manage over thousands of years with that attitude? I think that there are indeed millions of people who don’t read books or have hobbies or hold meaningful conversations, and that these people would have real problems coping with a massive leap from seventy years to thousands. ---
**Author:** ![Nothing\_Special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@Nothing\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nothing_Special)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/24 "2006-11-29T05:18:17Z")
[QUOTE=glee] I was making a interesting point and you dive in? [/QUOTE] I’m the OP. I dove in from the start. Others followed, thankfully. Including yourself. [QUOTE=glee] I think that there are indeed millions of people who don’t read books or have hobbies or hold meaningful conversations, and that these people would have real problems coping with a massive leap from seventy years to thousands. [/QUOTE] Yep, they probably would. And tough shit for them. They’ll just have to figure out for themselves how to live in a healthy society. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/25 "2006-11-29T06:20:32Z")
[QUOTE=Sir Reginald Bumwipe] The problem is, we would have to figure out a way to actually download a person onto a computer without just copying them. [/QUOTE] Hitachi is working research where they can read your mind and control a switch directly from the results. Granted it is primitive compared to reading all the details in your brain, but it is a start. [IT World Canada (near bottom of page)](http://www.itworldcanada.com/a/Daily-News/ca31d2ba-1f76-4b1d-a1ff-6362077b6848.html) ---
**Author:** ![Aquila\_Be](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@Aquila\_Be](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquila_Be)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/26 "2006-11-29T10:19:46Z")
[QUOTE=Nothing Special] What if we could do it? Then what? Let’s say we’re living for hundreds/thousands of years. What are the implications? [/QUOTE] I cannot find a cite but some time ago I read a statistician claiming that according to his calculations the average lifespan for all these immortals would be about 600 years for men (and somewhat longer for women) based purely on deaths due to accidents of all kinds. One aspect that no one seems to mention is brain damage due to alcohol. With a longer period of time to work with even a very light drinker will end up with Korsakoff’s syndrome after a mere three or four hundred years. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/27 "2006-11-29T10:24:54Z")
[QUOTE=Aquila Be] One aspect that no one seems to mention is brain damage due to alcohol. With a longer period of time to work with even a very light drinker will end up with Korsakoff’s syndrome after a mere three or four hundred years. [/QUOTE] I’d assume if they could stop you from aging any sort of effects from the environment would be repairable, too. Otherwise, things like skin cancer would get most in a short period of time. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/28 "2006-11-29T11:04:48Z")
[QUOTE=glee] As Susan Ertz observed: “Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy afternoon”. [/QUOTE] I _like_ not knowing what to do with myself on a rainy afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/29 "2006-11-29T13:52:40Z")
[QUOTE=Aquila Be] I cannot find a cite but some time ago I read a statistician claiming that according to his calculations the average lifespan for all these immortals would be about 600 years for men (and somewhat longer for women) based purely on deaths due to accidents of all kinds. One aspect that no one seems to mention is brain damage due to alcohol. With a longer period of time to work with even a very light drinker will end up with Korsakoff’s syndrome after a mere three or four hundred years. [/QUOTE] A large part of longevity treatments might include very careful intake of food and drink. So alas, we may have to choose between Beer or long life. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/30 "2006-11-29T14:04:18Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] A large part of longevity treatments might include very careful intake of food and drink. So alas, we may have to choose between Beer or long life. 😉 [/QUOTE] You can do that already. You might not live longer, but it will feel like it ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/31 "2006-11-29T14:08:58Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] You can do that already. You might not live longer, but it will feel like it [/QUOTE] I already am eating better and I drink lightly most of the time now. I hope to add a decade to my life baring accidents. I have not found moderation too painful. In fact I really like only being fat as opposed to very fat or borderline obese and I am striving to achieve merely “on the heavy side”. 😉 Jim ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/32 "2006-11-29T14:09:56Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Profound mental illness would be much more common. Neurological illness/injury would be unavoidable over a period of centuries, & war/famine/plague/disaster would still create psychological trauma. If A=Likelyhood of anygiven person going insane in a given year and G=# of years of life and A X G= Probability of Insanity and G= ∞ Then A X G = 100% You _will_ go mad. Eventually. [/QUOTE] I can’t decide if this is bad math, bad psychology, or both. I think the faulty assumption lies in assuming that ‘A’ actually exists. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/33 "2006-11-29T16:39:28Z")
[QUOTE=CandidGamera] I can’t decide if this is bad math, bad psychology, or both. I think the faulty assumption lies in assuming that ‘A’ actually exists. [/QUOTE] _Any_ Insurance Actuary would _guarantee you_ that A exists. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/34 "2006-11-29T16:51:42Z")
I’d like to raise the issue of the class of rich who live off dividends and interest rather than their core wealth itself. Such a situation allows for a class of people who need to do nothing to maintain wealth indefinitely. Right now such a class is miniscule enough as to have little impact on productivity, but, given a thousand years, the majority of people _could_ reach such a state. Obviously, long before most folks reached that level, something would have to give. Would it be the devaluation of currency? Regulation on wealthy status? An interesting conundrum that I need more coffee to face. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/35 "2006-11-29T16:51:45Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] _Any_ Insurance Actuary would _guarantee you_ that A exists. [/QUOTE] If you said ‘psychologist’ then you might have something. Even assuming A exists, then you can remain sane. If A is the percentage chance of a person going insane in a year, then 1-A is the percentage chance a person remains sane in a year. Where N is the number of years lived, the chance for sanity is (1-A)[sup]n[/sup]. As n goes to infinity, the chance for sanity approaches, but never reaches zero. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/36 "2006-11-29T18:24:31Z")
[QUOTE=Priam] I’d like to raise the issue of the class of rich who live off dividends and interest rather than their core wealth itself. Such a situation allows for a class of people who need to do nothing to maintain wealth indefinitely. Right now such a class is miniscule enough as to have little impact on productivity, but, given a thousand years, the majority of people _could_ reach such a state. Obviously, long before most folks reached that level, something would have to give. Would it be the devaluation of currency? Regulation on wealthy status? An interesting conundrum that I need more coffee to face. [/QUOTE] Unless people developed robots capable of doing most of the work (which can’t be ruled out, given that we’re talking a couple centuries here), what would give is that the price of labor would keep rising, making it harder to afford the services you need to live in comfortable retirement. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/37 "2006-11-29T18:28:46Z")
Think a lifestyle like in ‘City and the Stars’ by Arthur C. Clarke ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029/38 "2006-11-29T18:44:06Z")
In Isaac Asimov’s “The Last Question” immortality, combined with a massive birth rate, sees humanity occupying the **entire** universe in a fairly short time, speaking on a geologic timescale. We eventually need so many resources that we just sleep in pods for most of our lives. It could be nice if there’s a nice virtual reality world to plug into. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-this-matter-of-massive-human-life-extension/382029.md?page=1)