Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
act via a common mechanism is not yet known. Telomere shortening dur-
ing DnA replication may limit how many times cells can divide before
they die, and preventing this from happening is another approach to age
retardation. some computer scientists believe that non-biological-based
immortality may someday be possible for humans by transferring brain
function from mortal cells to immortal material analogous to silicon com-
puter chips. ethical issues at the individual and societal levels arise with
the prospect of dramatic human age retardation. individual issues include
protecting the autonomy of the unborn or newly born who receive age-
retarding treatments, distributing the technology justly, and decreasing
career advancement opportunities for young people due to vigorous older
people remaining longer in the workforce. societal issues include adapting
education, retirement, life insurance, and health care systems for popu-
lations with average life spans lengthened by several decades, if not cen-
turies. other likely effects on society are reduced birthrates, decreased
sources for artistic, scientific, and political creativity and innovation, and
exacerbation of existing societal disparities due to the selective use of age-
retardation technology. if virtual, biological immortality becomes a real-
istic prospect for humans, we will need to examine its significance for the
future evolution of our species.
Questions for Thought and Discussion
1. Do you favor using public funds for age-retardation research? Why or
why not?
2. find your life expectancy at http://www.ssa.gov/oACT/sTATs/table4c6
.html or from a similar table. if you had the opportunity today to lengthen
your life expectancy by any number of years, how much would you
lengthen it?
3. Do you believe creativity in art and science would suffer if human life
spans increased to 150 years and the birthrate halved worldwide? What
if life spans were increased to several hundred years and the birthrate
was lowered to maintain zero population growth?
4. Assume that within 50 years the majority of 20 year olds will have life
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