Over on Cato Unbound, there is a thought-provoking debate over the radical extension of the human lifespan. In his lead essay, Dr. Aubrey de Grey of the Methuselah Foundation argues that we should be doing all we can to cure aging. According to the web site, he thinks we are likely to be able to do this within 30 years if we start trying.
The idea of humans living for 1,000 years immediately brings to mind the image of old, frail people lingering about in nursing homes for centuries, but that’s not what the doctor has in mind. He argues that we could preserve and extend the vitality people have in their 20’s or 30’s. He envisions people who are still young, strong, and energetic at the age of 80… or 800. Some argue that we should not try to achieve such feats of longevity, but I find most of their arguments unconvincing.
One common argument is that it would cause overpopulation. However, overpopulation does not really seem to be much of a problem. Current forecasts say that the world will reach sub-replacement fertility levels by 2050. The fertility rate among non-Hispanic whites in the US is already below replacement levels – we can basically thank immigrants and Mormons for our growing population. An increase in population which forces more urbanization will likely just reduce fertility levels further. In any case, it’s a self-correcting problem.
Another argument is that we might get “tired of it all, or bored”. But this basically means that instead of being able to choose when you’re tired of living and end it, the decision should be made for you as your body slowly falls apart. If one is tired of living, there’s already a solution to that problem which people use every day – suicide. Perhaps extended lifespans would force the anti-assisted-suicide lobby to take a more rational view of the decision to end one’s life.
Maybe I’ve read too many fantasy novels where elves live incredibly long lifetimes and reproduce slowly. They have the time and enduring vitality to change careers several times over their lifetimes and accumulate the wisdom of centuries of experience. They’re just silly fantasy books, but Dr. de Grey’s position makes me wonder… What could we accomplish if the geniuses of our time could sustain the mental acuity of their peak years for centuries on end? How much better would our elected leaders be if they were 600 years old instead of 60?
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Cato Institute, death, Methuselah Foundation
