• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!
  • Welcome to our archives. No new posts are allowed here.

Eternal life

All I can think of is we mere mortals have already managed to cram 7 billion people on this planet, working up to a global average lifespan of 68 years. Do you know how many people there would be on the planet a hundred years from now if nobody dies? Christ, we'd start eating each other just to find room to sit down!!! :lol:
 
sbrettt said:
Imagine our society had the capability to make us immortal? Would you want this? Why or why not? I personally would because I think it would be astonishing to witness mankind's advancements in the far away future. I think it would be incredible to see us achieve type 1 status, and then type 2, lastly type 3, and everything in between. To able to think to think back to 1,000 years ago and remember how things were and contrast that with how things are "now" would be the greatest gift a person could receive in my opinion. So what do you all think?
Click to expand...

True "immortality" is effectively impossible. Even if old age wasn't an issue, people would still likely die from accidents, disease, or warfare.

Frankly, if push ever truly did come to shove, all of our existences would eventually be snuffed out when the universe itself eventually ended (regardless of however many eons this may require to actually transpire).

If I could somehow find a way to extend this ultimately temporary state of being beyond the paltry century or so my current lifespan allots, I would take it without a second thought.

Life is pretty amazing. Why wouldn't I want more of it? :shrug:

DiAnna said:
All I can think of is we mere mortals have already managed to cram 7 billion people on this planet, working up to a global average lifespan of 68 years. Do you know how many people there would be on the planet a hundred years from now if nobody dies? Christ, we'd start eating each other just to find room to sit down!!! :lol:
Click to expand...

We would basically be forced to start moving people off world.
 
Last edited:
Gathomas88 said:
True "immortality" is effectively impossible. Even if old age wasn't an issue, people would still likely die from accidents, disease, or warfare.

Frankly, if push ever truly did come to shove, all of our existences would eventually be snuffed out when the universe itself eventually ended (regardless of however many eons this may require to actually transpire).

If I could somehow find a way to extend this ultimately temporary state of being beyond the paltry century or so my current lifespan allots, I would take it without a second thought.

Life is pretty amazing. Why wouldn't I want more of it? :shrug:



We would basically be forced to start moving people off world.
Click to expand...
I don't believe it is impossible. Far out of reach sure, but impossible no. Nature has already found a way. Turritopsis nutricula - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I know this doesn't exactly further my point. I just think it's interesting.
 
Helix said:
i'd like to have more time than i'm going to get. immortal, though? nah, not on this plane. that would require me to sit here and watch the sun turn the earth into ashes in a couple billion years. doesn't sound appealing.
Click to expand...
Ehh, I think in a billion years we'll have engineered a way to keep the sun burning. All it needs is more hydrogen, which is the most common element in the universe. The thing I'm scared of is in, I think, 2 million years the Andromeda galaxy is going to collide with our galaxy. Besides Helix, what about everything leading up to our eventual extinction? I think it would beat the hell out of any book or movie. :cool:
 
Last edited:
sbrettt said:
Ehh, I think in a billion years we'll have engineered a way to keep the sun burning. All it needs is more hydrogen, which I believe is the most common element in the universe. The thing I'm scared of is in, I think, 2 million years the Andromeda galaxy is going to collide with our galaxy.
Click to expand...

the chance that we will figure out a way to keep our star from doing what every other old star does approaches zero.
 
Helix said:
the chance that we will figure out a way to keep our star from doing what every other old star does approaches zero.
Click to expand...

You caught me before the edit. There's more I wanted to say. :lol: Why do you say that? Forgive my simplicity, but all our sun needs is more hydrogen, and considering the rate we've advanced technologically is it really stretch to say we'll figure something out in the 5 billion years before our sun dies? Don't forget, we've only been around for about 50,000 years.
 
No. Honestly sometimes I don't think I want to see the next 30 years, never mind the next 3000.
 
sbrettt said:
I don't believe it is impossible. Far out of reach sure, but impossible no. Nature has already found a way. Turritopsis nutricula - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I know this doesn't exactly further my point. I just think it's interesting.
Click to expand...

I wasn't saying that we couldn't achieve biological immortality, of sorts. I was saying that even if we do, it would ultimately be irrelevant.

All things eventually die one way or another, even the universe itself.

What's a few more millennia of life in the grand scheme of things? I'll take whatever I can get, thank you very much. lol

Helix said:
the chance that we will figure out a way to keep our star from doing what every other old star does approaches zero.
Click to expand...

Quite a few people would've said the same thing about flight or journeys to the bottom of the ocean not too long ago. :lol:

Sun death is ultimately just another problem to be solved like any other. There's really no reason why we couldn't conceivably find some means of staving off the inevitable given the technology to do so.
 
sbrettt said:
Imagine our society had the capability to make us immortal? Would you want this? Why or why not? I personally would because I think it would be astonishing to witness mankind's advancements in the far away future. I think it would be incredible to see us achieve type 1 status, and then type 2, lastly type 3, and everything in between. To able to think to think back to 1,000 years ago and remember how things were and contrast that with how things are "now" would be the greatest gift a person could receive in my opinion. So what do you all think?
Click to expand...
Sure. Lock me in at age 27, and let me go on for eternity.
 
Gathomas88 said:
I wasn't saying that we couldn't achieve biological immortality, of sorts. I was saying that even if we do, it would ultimately be irrelevant.

All things eventually die one way or another, even the universe itself.

What's a few more millennia of life in the grand scheme of things? I'll take whatever I can get, thank you very much. lol



Quite a few people would've said the same thing about flight or journeys to the bottom of the ocean not too long ago. :lol:

Sun death is ultimately just another problem to be solved like any other. There's really no reason why we couldn't conceivably find some means of staving off the inevitable given the technology to do so.
Click to expand...

Ohh okay. My bad for the misunderstanding. I'll take a few more millennia over a few more decades.
 
sbrettt said:
Why is that?
Click to expand...

With the devolving of human society over the last century, my belief that the United States is on the verge of another civil war, and the loss of even a modicum of morality or decency among the human race I just don't see anything improving any time soon.
 
Tigger said:
With the devolving of human society over the last century, my belief that the United States is on the verge of another civil war, and the loss of even a modicum of morality or decency among the human race I just don't see anything improving any time soon.
Click to expand...

Ehhh okay.
 
sbrettt said:
You caught me before the edit. There's more I wanted to say. :lol: Why do you say that? Forgive my simplicity, but all our sun needs is more hydrogen, and considering the rate we've advanced technologically is it really stretch to say we'll figure something out in the 5 billion years before our sun dies? Don't forget, we've only been around for about 50,000 years.
Click to expand...

well, not that it makes much of a difference, but there's only 1.75 billion years before the sun cooks life off of the surface of the earth. delivering the amount of hydrogen that is needed to keep the sun going is arguably impossible. our only real chance is to find another inhabitable planet with a younger star. in 1.75 billion years, though, humans will be something astonishingly different, if our descendants even exist at all.

the only thing more frightening and thought provoking than the vast distance of space is the vast stretch of time.
 
calamity said:
Sure. Lock me in at age 27, and let me go on for eternity.
Click to expand...

i said the same thing at 25. what a tragedy that would have been.
 
Helix said:
well, not that it makes much of a difference, but there's only 1.75 billion years before the sun cooks life off of the surface of the earth. delivering the amount of hydrogen that is needed to keep the sun going is arguably impossible. our only real chance is to find another inhabitable planet with a younger star. in 1.75 billion years, though, humans will be something astonishingly different, if our descendants even exist at all.

the only thing more frightening and thought provoking than the vast distance of space is the vast stretch of time.
Click to expand...
I take your point that it's arguably impossible only because I don't know enough to rebut you. Still, I think time could prove you wrong. What about the other terrestrial bodies in our solar system? Maybe as the sun heats up places like Titan, or Europa will become habitable. I think humanity will find a way to survive. There's certainly a will for it.
 
Tigger said:
Wise man once told me.... "Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to."
Click to expand...

That doesn't apply here. I chose not to argue with you because what you were saying is off topic in this thread. :lol:
 
sbrettt said:
I take your point that it's arguably impossible only because I don't know enough to rebut you. Still, I think time could prove you wrong. What about the other terrestrial bodies in our solar system? Maybe as the sun heats up places like Titan, or Europa will become habitable. I think humanity will find a way to survive. There's certainly a will for it.
Click to expand...

i don't know enough about it to rebut me, either, lol.

we've evolved for a specific temperature range, atmospheric composition, and nutritional requirements. this will change as the conditions change, but my guess is that it's going to be damned difficult to find another habitable planet. but think about that amount of time. 1.8 billion years ago, the first eukaryotic cells appeared. imagine what life will look like 1.8 billion years from now.
 
Helix said:
i don't know enough about it to rebut me, either, lol.

we've evolved for a specific temperature range, atmospheric composition, and nutritional requirements. this will change as the conditions change, but my guess is that it's going to be damned difficult to find another habitable planet. but think about that amount of time. 1.8 billion years ago, the first eukaryotic cells appeared. imagine what life will look like 1.8 billion years from now.
Click to expand...
I wish I could see it for myself. There's always Gliese 581, and it's only 20 light years away. :)
 
sbrettt said:
I wish I could see it for myself. There's always Gliese 581, and it's only 20 light years away. :)
Click to expand...

if you'll drive, i'll buy the beer.
 
sbrettt said:
Imagine our society had the capability to make us immortal?
Click to expand...
We would have to enforce a strict policy of sterilization.

Would you want this? Why or why not?
Click to expand...
No. I want to live out my natural life cycle and die like I'm supposed to. Immortality is for cowards who can't face reality.
 
sbrettt said:
That doesn't apply here. I chose not to argue with you because what you were saying is off topic in this thread. :lol:
Click to expand...

I wasn't intending to argue the merits of my comment, just to point out that when you ask for details on things you never quite know what you're going to get.
 
sbrettt said:
Imagine our society had the capability to make us immortal? Would you want this? Why or why not? I personally would because I think it would be astonishing to witness mankind's advancements in the far away future. I think it would be incredible to see us achieve type 1 status, and then type 2, lastly type 3, and everything in between. To able to think to think back to 1,000 years ago and remember how things were and contrast that with how things are "now" would be the greatest gift a person could receive in my opinion. So what do you all think?
Click to expand...

I think it is inevitable that we will achieve a level of biological immortality or at least the broad ability to delay natural death indefinitely. Whether you think this will happen in this century or five hundred years from now is a separate question (I'm on optimist) but it seems extremely difficult to argue that it will not be achieved. So what do I think? I think it will be the greatest achievement our species will have yet accomplished. The abolition of death will remove the most terrible of destinies that we all live underneath from the moment we are born. Instead of facing the reaper we will be free to do whatever we will. Learn all there is to learn, explore all there is to explore, experience all there is to experience, love all whom you wish to love.

There is an unfathomable amount of things, people, and places in this Universe of ours and ninety years isn't anywhere close to enough. We invent aphorisms that are designed to comfort us in the face of our mortality "Death is what makes life worth living" or "Life has a natural circle" and on and on. It's meaningless in my view. Life is valuable because you are alive to live it.
 
Gathomas88 said:
I wasn't saying that we couldn't achieve biological immortality, of sorts. I was saying that even if we do, it would ultimately be irrelevant.

All things eventually die one way or another, even the universe itself.

What's a few more millennia of life in the grand scheme of things? I'll take whatever I can get, thank you very much. lol



Quite a few people would've said the same thing about flight or journeys to the bottom of the ocean not too long ago. :lol:

Sun death is ultimately just another problem to be solved like any other. There's really no reason why we couldn't conceivably find some means of staving off the inevitable given the technology to do so.
Click to expand...

What's a few more millenia in the grand scheme of things? What an awful view of the world if you'll excuse my saying so! Do we tell someone who is 40 and on their deathbed that "Well... everyone dies sooner or later. Would you really want a few more decades?" Of course not! Because life is precious. Your consciousness is all that you have in the vastness of this Universe. Existing offers limitless possibility, ceasing to exist ends that. Imagine what you could do, who you could love, what you could learn in all those extra millenias.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom