The Ethics of Life Extension Bob Brown & Rafael Villa-Angulo Bio-Ethics with Professor Solka 20...

The Ethics of Life Extension

Bob Brown & Rafael Villa-AnguloBio-Ethics with Professor Solka

20 February 2007

20 Februrary 2007Bob Brown & Rafael Villa-Angulo

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Agenda

Topic introductionApproaches to extending life

Advantages and disadvantages of methodsEthics areas of considerationConclusions and quotes


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The Life Extension Ethics Question:

Should technologies that radically extend the human lifespan

be allowed to be employed?


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• Eliminating a specific list comprising 50% of medically preventable conditions, would extend human life expectancy to over 150 years.

• By preventing 90% of medical problems, life expectancy could extend to over 500 years.

• At 99% solved, we’d be able to live for over 1,000 years.

• Biotechnology and nanotechnology revolutions will enable us to eliminate virtually all medical causes of death. (Nanomedicine)

Robert Freitas estimates that:


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Seek to understand the nature of aging and develop treatments to reverse aging processes, or to at least slow them down, for the improvement of health and the maintenance of youthful vigor at every stage of life. Believing tissue rejuvenation with stem cells, organs replacement, and molecular repair will eliminate all aging and disease allowing to complete rejuvenation to a youthful condition.

Biomedical Gerontologists:


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Methods to Extending Life

Cure diseases and stop the aging processArtificial organs with nanomaterials or superior materials

Significant body organ replacementSENS (Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence) is a program initiated by Aubrey de Grey,

Mind Uploading-- The concept is based on materialism, the philosophy of mind that argues that the human spirit is entirely composed of a very complex system of physical and chemical interactions. 1


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Anti-Life Extension ViewpointLeon Kass (chairman of the US President's Council on Bioethics from 2001 to

2005) exemplifies the anti-life extension view"simply to covet a prolonged life span for ourselves is both a sign and a cause of our failure to open ourselves to procreation and to any higher purpose. … [The] desire to prolong youthfulness is not only a childish desire to eat one’s life and keep it; it is also an expression of a childish and narcissistic wish incompatible with devotion to posterity.“6


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Europe’s Enhance InitiativeThe Centre for Ethics in Medicine was founded in 1998

To document current and imminent scientific advances that may enhance human capacities in cognition, mood, physical performance (in sport) and ageing. To evaluate these advances from a philosophical, ethical and social perspective. To facilitate policy-making to the emerging dual-use technologies.

To promote public understanding of dual-use technologies and the ethical debate. Duration: 24 month (started October 2005)Coordinating institution: Centre for Ethics in medicine, University of Bristol


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Discussion Topics

NanotechnologyCryogenicsBody part replacementMind UploadingCyborg citizens


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The most promising is Nanomedicine

Nanomedicine is the medical application of nanotechnology and related research. It covers areas such as nanoparticle drug delivery and possible future applications of molecular nanotechnology (MNT) and nanovaccinology.


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Advantages of NanomedicineExtremely bad conditions (as cancer) will be treated easily by modifying the body’s genetic material. Disease elimination will become normal, so we no longer will need to be worry about living with heath conditions. Diagnose diseases before there are any symptoms. Administer drugs that are precisely targeted. Use non-invasive imaging tools to demonstrate that the treatment was effective.


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Disadvantages for NanomedicineWhat if the modification has unintended consequences for the person or society?What if we lose control of the nanoparticles? What if society determines everyone needs a certain modification?How do we deal with overpopulation?How does society ensure the Government doesn’t use our money to research methods that are not in the best interests of the citizens?


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At cryogenic temperatures there will be no alteration in biological tissue for thousands of years, which allows plenty of time for future life extension technologies to be available.

Cryonics


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Advantages of cryonics

A complete body or organ can be preserved for hundreds or thousands of yearsThere is a strong belief that in a no longer future technology and medicine will be available to restore damage and successfully revive cryopreserved patients


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Disadvantages to CryonicsIt leaves the loves ones in limbo.What will it be like to acclimate to a new society?How does one just plug back in?

What about the massive knowledge disconnect?What if your home was in Yugoslavia?

What if the firm goes belly-up – whom is responsible?What if the procedure is only partly successful, and you do not come back as a “useful” member of society?


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Biotechnology, particularly those of human cloning and stem cell research, are though to offer some possibility of replacing aging body parts with “new” parts grown artificially.

Body parts replacement


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Advantages of Body Part Replacement

Artificial organs will be implanted using nanotech devices that use the body’s own energy supply - - glucose and oxygen - - for power.Individual’s brain will be transplanted from his or her aging body into a new, youthful body cloned from his or her own tissue.


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Disadvantages to Body Part ReplacementHas been evolving over many centuries.

Wood teeth, hook or stump, to artificial heart & limbsSeems straight-forward when replacing a body-part with something lesser or equivalent to the original.What about body-parts that are implanted just because the are superior?On demand farming of organs or yours stockpiled is case of emergency – soldier

What do we do with the ones not used?Where do we draw the line on something being a part verses a cloned body?


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Mind uploading

Concept based on materialism, the philosophy of mind that argues that human spirit is entirely composed of a very complex system of physical and chemical interactions.

Uploading a human brain means scanning all of its salient details and then reinstantiating them into a suitably powerful computational substrate.


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Advantages of Mind uploading

This process would capture a person’s entire personality, memory, skills, and historyIt is possible by first interfacing biological human brains with computer parts, and the gradual replacement of biological components with mechanical onesImmortality will be possible


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Disadvantages to Mind Uploads

When is this be allowed to occur - only at death?How does one, and their family, prepare for the change that is going to occur?What if you spend your last dime to perform this procedure and you were in retirement?Will companies be willing or required to hire people that are not completely human?Can you perform this procedure again, when a “better model” of cyborg comes along?

Trade-in like a car


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Cyborg Citizens 1.0 – Silicon and Beyond

Honda’s Asimo robotNeurons on a chipSome estimate that by 2020 computers shall be able to perform Human thought.5

Transfer knowledge, experience, and emotional state to a cyborg?At what point is it that you are no longer a human?

Like cars with the foreign content exceeds x%?Fido – transfer the pet’s emotional state to a robo-pet


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Advantages of Cyborg Citizens

They will be the next step in human evolution

Super capacity of memory, thinking, intelligence, and forever young

They will open the door to the next step in universe evolution. Same process but applied to universe (cyber universe)


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Disadvantages of Cyborg CitizensThey can continue to evolve like computers with no known upper-bound

Accelerated evolution forget 20 years/generation think 18 months/generation

When is automation deemed out-of-control? When do we have to treat them a humans, because they are sentient beings?They will be able to perform duties faster, better, and cheaper than people. What will people do to make money?


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Ethics Areas of Consideration


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PersonalQuality of life vs. extending lifeThe number of years ones should have to workMarriage(s) and the extended family

Kids, Grandkids, Grandkids cubedPersonal cost of proceduresTweak “broken” psychological traits

Experiences, viewpoints, genetic tendenciesMoving into another body

Affect on you and your family


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LegalWhen is “you” no longer “you”?

If you perform a mind upload to more than one being.When is death, e.g. if cryogenics can work?

What is Life in prison?Do we just change their mind or body?

How does society price the loss of life in a negligence suit?Laws with a blend of citizens being -- flesh and blood vs. humanoid vs. everything in between?


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FinancialCost to society vs funding other ‘priorities’

If more money can be made extending life vs finding cures for “diseases”

Rich versus Poor – societies and peopleForget the inheritanceHow long is Society willing to cover people no longer able to cover their own expenses?

Will the great-great-great grandkids help out?


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Religion & PhilosophyIf one can live 100s of years – when does one get to the after-life?

How much time will people spend worrying about the after-life?

How will people’s morals change if they know they are not dying for 100’s of years?At what point are ‘we’ playing GOD?


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SocietalIssues of an “older” society

What will define old age? Will anyone be in an old body?Jobs – work for 80% of your life?Society is allowed to evolve when people die and the issues can be reshaped – e.g. racismRedefine schooling – new slant on continuous education

What will we need to know in 100 years – can’t program the VCRKnowledge pack downloads – to stay current


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Political & NationalismWhat will be the political leaning of extremely older people?What laws will they want passed?How does this impact Nations with issues about prior wrongs e.g. slaveryThe ‘have’ and ‘have-not’ societiesWhat if different countries allow different amounts of life extending capabilities to be used?


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Environmental

Impact on natural resourcesImpact on population growth ratesCan we start out by extending the life of pets?Suggestion – allow people to only be 4 ft tall


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The only things we can be sure of, so the saying goes, are death and taxes

- but don’t be too sure about death.

- Joseph Strout, Neuroscientist


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Immortality first!

Everything else can wait.

- Corwyn Prater


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References[1] Kurzweil Ray. The Singularity is Near: when humans transcend biology. Viking Penguin 2005. New York, NY.

[2] Aging Research Center (http://www.arclab.org)

[3] Nanotechnology and Life Extension(http://www.xenophilia.org/nano_life_extension.html)

[4] Silver M. Lee. Challenging Nature. HarperCollins Publishers. 2006. Ney York, NY.

[5] Wikipedia.org

[6] Kass, Leon (1988). Toward a More Natural Science. Free Press.

[7] Enhance Bioethics Effort http://www.enhanceproject.org

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