Re: The Future, Space Travel, and Immortality

From: Mark Jones (sinanju_at_pacifier.com)
Date: 07/27/04 

Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 16:30:36 -0700

Xomicron wrote:

> If immortatlity is made available to the public, laws would have to be
> passed that limits how many children you could have(one or zero,
> depending on the circumstances).

Would they, though? As I understand it, a woman is born with all the
egss she'll ever have. And they're not going to get any fresher. Would
a woman who remains physically young (via anti-aging treatment) continue
to menstruate even as she approaches the century mark or passes it? And
even if she did, would she remain fertile or would the chances of her
conceiving drop to (or near) zero anyhow?

> Also, if the whole human race became unaging, would technology
> stagnate? As people grow older, they become "set in their ways", but
> would this effect a bunch of millegenerians in 21 year old bodies?

Would technology stagnate? I doubt it. But I suspect a lot more people
would go through multiple careers. I'm 45. I'm not likely to decide at
this late date that I want to become a surgeon. But if I were looking
at a truly _indefinite_ lifespan with continued youth (or
middle-agedness, at a minimum) and health, that would be a real option.
  I'd have the time to learn and I could anticipate practicing for
decades afterward.

As for people being set in their ways, we can establish new customs to
deal with new problems. David Weber's _Honor Harrington_ novels mention
that the Manticoran Navy has a mandatory rotation policy for personnel
in senior positions for precisely this reason. "Prolong" anti-aging
treatments mean people remain active for going on two centuries; they
don't let anyone stagnate in a position just because he isn't going to
get old and retire. Then there's the current US military practice of
"up or out"; if you're passed over for promotion too many times, you're
out--to make room for someone else, presumably someone better equipped
to handle the job. There's no reason such policies can't be established
in other fields.

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