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Genetically engineered fountain of youth Terms
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2001
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A hypothetical question.
Currently the technology exists to genetically engineer animals to age 30% slower. Which means living ~30% longer and spending a greater amount of time living in youth.
If you were offered a life where you got to age 30% slower, but in exchange had to sign a contract requiring you to be euthanized at 80yo (if you lived that long), would you take it?
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Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
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Hmm, on the one hand, I'd be a much healthier and spry 80yo... so it seems a waste to off me. My folks are nearing 80 now, and still spry even with aches and pains.
Can we compromise on 90?
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Isle of Manhattan
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No. If the age limit was 120, maybe.
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"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Nashua NH, USA
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Yes, because said contract would be unenforcable.
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Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
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Originally Posted by BLAZE_MkIV
Yes, because said contract would be unenforcable.
*Is presented with fantastical premise*
*Decides to derail it via loophole in contract law*
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Isle of Manhattan
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Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
*Is presented with fantastical premise*
*Decides to derail it via loophole in contract law*
He must be a lawyer.
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"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
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Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
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Originally Posted by osiris
He must be a lawyer.
New Hampshire, so assume Libertarian.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Nashua NH, USA
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Originally Posted by osiris
He must be a lawyer.
Worse, an engineer.
Would you want to be a teenager 30% longer, would you want the terrible two's to last 30% longer?
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Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
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I assumed from the OP just physical age, not mental, but good point.
Also, I think this was a Star Trek episode.
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Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
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Originally Posted by BLAZE_MkIV
would you want the terrible two's to last 30% longer?
I'm not going to remember that. My parents get screwed.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Isle of Manhattan
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Originally Posted by BLAZE_MkIV
Worse, an engineer.
Would you want to be a teenager 30% longer, would you want the terrible two's to last 30% longer?
If it means living to 120, yes.
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"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Originally Posted by BLAZE_MkIV
Would you want to be a teenager 30% longer, would you want the terrible two's to last 30% longer?
It would not slow down development. Everything would be the same except you would maintain your youthful healing, energy, mobility, and strength for longer in life. At 42 you'd feel like a 28yo, at 79 you'd feel like a 56yo.
The science behind it: The genetic modification is relatively simple and was being done on lab animals from worms, to fish, rabbits, dogs and chimps over a decade ago. Cellular senescence is an accumulation of damage inside a cell that we refer to as aging. Much of the damage is caused by free radicals and toxic waste products from metabolism. There are enzymes naturally in our cells which break down these waste products. Superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, to name a couple. Biologists found they could slow down the destructive part of aging by doubling up transcription of these enzymatic genes. They can also tweak our metabolism to break down sugars more efficiently, causing less toxins to begin with, and possibly allowing us to eat less. As a side effect, this also lowers the probability of getting cancer. So these enzymes dont interfere with development, they only clean cells of destructive molecules so to speak.
It's still a fantasy question since we only know how to do this at the embryo stage, and the embryo couldn't choose weather to be GM or not. The embryo's parents would have to make the decision for it. Although biologists are now proposing complex stem-cell, and viral engineering methods of reversing aging in adults.
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Last edited by el chupacabra; Feb 6, 2015 at 02:27 PM.
)
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Originally Posted by andi*pandi
Hmm, on the one hand, I'd be a much healthier and spry 80yo... so it seems a waste to off me. My folks are nearing 80 now, and still spry even with aches and pains.
Can we compromise on 90?
What about 85? Life expectancy 77 right? I don't want to make the decision too easy. But I am also curious of course where people draw the line for quantity vs quality of life.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Shaddim's sock drawer
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No, because youth is overrated, and people in my family often live well into their 90s. So given the rate of advancements in medicine, it's very possible I'll live to be over 100.
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"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Isle of Manhattan
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Another thought - it would kind of suck to see everyone you know and love die. Maybe this "old" thing isn't all it's cracked up to be.
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"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Rock
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But his point is that in your 90s (and 100s), you'll be more or less incapacitated, just like almost all 90-to-100-year-olds. I mean, you may be able to live by yourself, but most cannot or do not (at least not without significant support).
Let's face it, 75 is not really that old any more, but even with today's medicine most 75-year-olds are getting pretty creaky. If at 75 you could still ski, golf 36 holes, ride a mountain bike, remember names, or drive a car like you could in your 50s?
The other thing to think about is that I'm told most older people find life increasingly lonelier after about 80 years old - because your friends and peers start dying off pretty regularly, none of you get out as much as you used to, and your grandchildren get busy with their own young children and don't visit as much as they might have before.
I think I would totally agree. Then again, I'm only in my 30s, so perhaps I would think differently if I were in my 60s.
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Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
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Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
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Originally Posted by osiris
Another thought - it would kind of suck to see everyone you know and love die.
It would be glorious to see all you enemies and foes die.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
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Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
It would be glorious to see all you enemies and foes die.
Truly glorious - delightful, even.
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"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: I'll let you know when I get there...
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I've already decided to make an attempt at the land speed record if I make it to 80 (26 now).
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
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I'd take this deal. Doubt I'll make it to 80 anyway.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
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