George Rebane
A number of emails, articles, and recent announcements came together that made me again revisit the notion of man’s dream of physical immortality. What if there were developed a pill that would genomically and/or proteomically rejuvenate a person, and taking such a pill every so many years would keep him going indefinitely? It seems to me that such a pill, or even a more complex rejuvenation procedure, would put the continued existence of humanity at risk.
A friend and former colleague, Dr Keith Dutton, just informed me that the company that he coufounded – Lively - was successful in closing a second round of funding, and is now off to the races. Lively offers a system that enables single older folks to continue living alone and maintaining their independence over a greater span of their life, thereby fulfilling a basic desire by all of us to maintain the homeostasis of normalcy for as long as possible. Nevada County probably has a lot of customers for such a system.
Then there’s all the buzz on how education delivery is moving online (see RR posts on MOOCs and all the universities starting to offer their curricula over the internet). The more important part of that is the efforts of older workers and even retired people who are enrolling in these courses to keep learning more stuff, develop additional skillsets to sell in the workforce, and to continue the never-ending pursuit of fulfillment. The age cutoff for retiring from a stimulating life seems to be rapidly disappearing.
My old pal Dr Larry Press at CSUDH (professor of information technologies) has been a longtime promoter of all things internet and networking. His blog is a good resource for keeping up with the latest in everything from network applications to distance learning. Apropos to living a longer and much more productive life, Larry’s 23sep13 entry introduces us to FutureLearn, a collaboration of a group of UK universities. “Their slogan is 'Learning for life', indicating a focus on students who are not seeking credit and degrees. That audience may turn out to be more important than traditional university students -- more lucrative and more beneficial to society.”
During these pre-Singularity years the pursuit of life extension (cum immortality) is reaching the entrepreneurial levels of business activity. Early evangelists like Ray Kurzweil are now being joined by start-ups like Calico (California Life Corporation) which Google has announced as its latest business venture (more here). Actually, since Kurzweil joined Google, their investment in Calico is probably his doing.
A friend and former colleague, Dr Keith Dutton, just informed me that the company that he coufounded – Lively - was successful in closing a second round of funding, and is now off to the races. Lively offers a system that enables single older folks to continue living alone and maintaining their independence over a greater span of their life, thereby fulfilling a basic desire by all of us to maintain the homeostasis of normalcy for as long as possible. Nevada County probably has a lot of customers for such a system.
Then there’s all the buzz on how education delivery is moving online (see RR posts on MOOCs and all the universities starting to offer their curricula over the internet). The more important part of that is the efforts of older workers and even retired people who are enrolling in these courses to keep learning more stuff, develop additional skillsets to sell in the workforce, and to continue the never-ending pursuit of fulfillment. The age cutoff for retiring from a stimulating life seems to be rapidly disappearing.
My old pal Dr Larry Press at CSUDH (professor of information technologies) has been a longtime promoter of all things internet and networking. His blog is a good resource for keeping up with the latest in everything from network applications to distance learning. Apropos to living a longer and much more productive life, Larry’s 23sep13 entry introduces us to FutureLearn, a collaboration of a group of UK universities. “Their slogan is 'Learning for life', indicating a focus on students who are not seeking credit and degrees. That audience may turn out to be more important than traditional university students -- more lucrative and more beneficial to society.”
During these pre-Singularity years the pursuit of life extension (cum immortality) is reaching the entrepreneurial levels of business activity. Early evangelists like Ray Kurzweil are now being joined by start-ups like Calico (California Life Corporation) which Google has announced as its latest business venture (more here). Actually, since Kurzweil joined Google, their investment in Calico is probably his doing.
In any event, the notifications and announcements of progress in all kinds of technologies that will promote longer and more productive lives keep pouring in. Going back to the original question, I am reminded of two sci-fi classics of many years ago – A.C. Clark’s Childhood’s End (1953) and R. Heinlein’s Lazarus Long series, particularly Time Enough to Love (1973). Each in their own way dealt with long life and the satisfaction of life’s wants, albeit at a cost. I read these as a nascent teenager and as a young father, both made lasting impressions.
Lazarus Long is a virtual immortal who rejuvenates by the functional equivalent of periodically taking a pill. In Time Enough, as a multi-millennial, he finally wants to die. Long belongs to a secret society that owns this technology, and thereby expands a lively discussion of what would happen to humanity were this technology known to and then demanded by the great masses. Not a pretty picture – after all, if children are to be born then the old are to die, otherwise there will be insurmountable problems. In some ways we are approaching similar problems with our universal and ever expanding welfare system, as the part of America that no longer even seeks work continues to grow while enjoying a quite acceptable quality of life being supported by others.
In Childhood’s End we see the reaction to enforced global peace and dissolution of human creativity, utopia manifest, and the termination of all reproductive rights – and wrongs. The last generation of the world’s children leave their parents and humanity behind as they prepare to join the galactic (cosmic?) Overmind. Such an existence and pointless future becomes unbearable for the left behind adults, and some intellectually advanced communities begin committing mass suicide. Be careful what you ask for?
But both Clark and Heinlein considered extended existence and materially abundant life only in the context of a human mentality in stasis – people with the perceptions, needs, and wants with which we all are familiar. But under various belief systems and studies of esoteric knowledge, Man has already demonstrated that he can radically change his perspective of what is, and change his lifestyle accordingly.
As machine and Man continue melding their minds – a process already well under way with ubiquitous internet connectivity – our mentality will be in anything except stasis. At a minimum, this can be said for the cognitive class that understands the current art of the possible, and recognizes the vast experiential fields that will open as we get ever closer to the Singularity.
In the advent of all this, the old order will not depart quietly. And yet, how can it co-exist with the coming immortals whose universe will not be the one in which we have always lived?
Lazarus Long is a virtual immortal who rejuvenates by the functional equivalent of periodically taking a pill. In Time Enough, as a multi-millennial, he finally wants to die. Long belongs to a secret society that owns this technology, and thereby expands a lively discussion of what would happen to humanity were this technology known to and then demanded by the great masses. Not a pretty picture – after all, if children are to be born then the old are to die, otherwise there will be insurmountable problems. In some ways we are approaching similar problems with our universal and ever expanding welfare system, as the part of America that no longer even seeks work continues to grow while enjoying a quite acceptable quality of life being supported by others.
In Childhood’s End we see the reaction to enforced global peace and dissolution of human creativity, utopia manifest, and the termination of all reproductive rights – and wrongs. The last generation of the world’s children leave their parents and humanity behind as they prepare to join the galactic (cosmic?) Overmind. Such an existence and pointless future becomes unbearable for the left behind adults, and some intellectually advanced communities begin committing mass suicide. Be careful what you ask for?
But both Clark and Heinlein considered extended existence and materially abundant life only in the context of a human mentality in stasis – people with the perceptions, needs, and wants with which we all are familiar. But under various belief systems and studies of esoteric knowledge, Man has already demonstrated that he can radically change his perspective of what is, and change his lifestyle accordingly.
As machine and Man continue melding their minds – a process already well under way with ubiquitous internet connectivity – our mentality will be in anything except stasis. At a minimum, this can be said for the cognitive class that understands the current art of the possible, and recognizes the vast experiential fields that will open as we get ever closer to the Singularity.
In the advent of all this, the old order will not depart quietly. And yet, how can it co-exist with the coming immortals whose universe will not be the one in which we have always lived?
Love it or leave it, "fish." Love it or leave it.
That's the best you've got......don't you want to threaten me some more?
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 08:33 AM
Libs are chicken wimps fish. Words on a screen, that is the best they have.
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 27 September 2013 at 08:51 AM
Libs are chicken wimps fish. Words on a screen, that is the best they have.
Just a little curious about the bipolar nature of Michael....on the one one hand you have the Michael who loves "Burning Man" and hitting fly balls.....on the other, the strident authoritarian threatening wreckers and counterrevolutionaries with visits from the secret police and punishment in the camps.
Maybe it's the change of seasons?
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 09:00 AM
Himmler was a chicken farmer. MichaelA must raise chickens?
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 27 September 2013 at 09:03 AM
Himmler was a chicken farmer. MichaelA must raise chickens?
Maybe.
I'd raise chickens....but as a Dachshund owner....that's a non-starter!
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 09:09 AM
re MichaelA's 1049pm - "Perhaps a visit from Homeland Security is needed? I can arrange that." That is a remarkable and sinister threat. I have no idea how to arrange Homeland Security (rapidly becoming our version of the Gestapo or KGB) to visit anyone I might designate. Is that a privilege bestowed on only a select cohort in America, or have things become so that anyone can finger anyone else to their detriment? Sure would like to know.
Posted by: George Rebane | 27 September 2013 at 09:42 AM
George, you are free to put any representatives from DHS directly in touch with me should Michael choose to make the arrangements.
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 09:45 AM
Fish, Rebane
So I guess my position on the desirability of the Australian healthcare system is unchallenged. thanks for verifying my position.
Posted by: Paul Emery | 27 September 2013 at 09:47 AM
No Paul, I commented yesterday and am still looking at the issue. If their was a deadline you really should have informed the board.
Not enough to just drop in and say..."I win"...and toddle off. I guess that's an Emery argument tactic
I suspect that we will be talking about this for a long time. Also I'd be a little less cavalier about touting the system rated 5th overall over the system rated 6th overall.
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 09:56 AM
Fifth overall in the world in satisfaction and numbers in coverage and percent of GDP that far surpass our "system".
Posted by: Paul Emery | 27 September 2013 at 10:07 AM
Fifth overall in the world in satisfaction and numbers in coverage and percent of GDP that far surpass our "system".
As I said Paul it's probably a tad early to be taking your Obamacare victory lap!
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 10:10 AM
Did I see where Australian voters booted the lefty government and put a conservative one in it's place?
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 27 September 2013 at 10:29 AM
Todd
Irrelevant to my question but here's the view of "Conservative" Tony Abbott on health care.
"Abbott said he was not trying to shake up a system which "in broad terms works well" and pledged to "maintain existing levels of health funding but ensure some money is redirected from bureaucracies to frontline services". He said this meant there would be fewer health bureaucrats but no fewer doctors and nurses.
"We want to make a good system better; the last thing we want to do is impose an overall cut to health funding," he insisted as he unveiled the policy at St Vincent's hospital in Sydney.
Posted by: Paul Emery | 27 September 2013 at 10:59 AM
He said this meant there would be fewer health bureaucrats but no fewer doctors and nurses.
It's adorable that you believe that.
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 11:39 AM
I'm just repeated his campaign promise since Todd made a big deal out of a Conservative being elected PM. Seems like even conservatives support universal health care most everywhere in the world except for here. "The cheese stands alone."
Posted by: Paul Emery | 27 September 2013 at 11:45 AM
Hey....looks like you're getting Obamacare Paul.....time to put on your track shoes!
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 12:03 PM
Those here who claim to believe in freedom and self determination will have the opportunity to petition for marijuana legalization this fall via the initiative process.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/09/27/california-marijuana-legalization-2014-initiative-cleared-for-circulation
Small government types can cheer that fewer state resources will be wasted enforcing a clearly useless law.
Big government types.....well these days...this contingent will have a fair percentage of potheads.
Something for all to like!
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 12:10 PM
PJ Media has a sober assessment of Obamacare, its role as a cynical stepping stone, and reasonable alternative healthcare approaches guaranteed to disappoint central planners.
http://pjmedia.com/blog/replacing-obamacare-the-strategies-and-options/?singlepage=true
Posted by: George Rebane | 27 September 2013 at 01:55 PM
Fish
From your 12;19 Link
"The California Legislative Analyst and the state director of finance state that the initiative, if passed, would result in "reduced costs in the low hundreds of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments related to enforcing certain marijuana-related offenses, handling the related criminal cases in the court system, and incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders."
It will save thousands locally because we won't have to pay our Sheriffs Deputies to snoop around our back yards looking for illegal petunias.
Posted by: Paul Emery | 27 September 2013 at 02:56 PM
..."reduced costs in the low hundreds of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments related to enforcing certain marijuana-related offenses, handling the related criminal cases in the court system, and incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders."
Again...what's not to like!
Posted by: fish | 27 September 2013 at 04:28 PM
Time to live forever with all my fellow posters. What possibly could go wrong with all this time on our hands eon after eon. In a few thousand years we could say "Just when I thought I heard it all..."
No more love it or leave it. Living forever means we have no where to go and after a few centuries we will be wishing be could die from boredom. Wonder who will be butt hurt in the year 4816 recalling all the nasty things we said to each other during 2011-2013?
Fellas, this calls for a group hug.
Now, about lib chicks. They can be fun and they can be crazy. They can be very hot tempered as well. In the centuries to come, the two sides will still be polar opposites. The Right Wing Extremist wacko terrorists will still be putting up the Nativity scenes in our backyards (view from the street will be outlawed) and seek out a nice conservative girl to play the Virgin. The libs will be all bent out of shape and pooh-pooh and ridicule the whole idea. Libs don't do Nativity Scenes. Not for religious reasons nor intolerance of those who believe in a Divine Creator, but rather they simply cannot find a young virgin in their midst.
Nothing new under the sun.
Posted by: Bill Tozer | 27 September 2013 at 07:47 PM
Mr. P Emery:
"it will save thousands locally because we won't have to pay our Sheriffs Deputies to snoop around our back yards looking for illegal petunias."
Well Mr. Emergy, if the petunias were legal and the law was followed, the Sheriffs would not find any ILLEGAL petunias, now would they? No worries if you have a script for medicine. Thought this whole thing was about medicine, which is legal. Didn't the fine people of the Great State of California pass the medicinal proposition to help cancer patients?? Who would turn their backs on the poor suffering folks dying of cancer and other very serious life ending ailments? At least that was how it was billed and presented to the voters, was it not?
Legal is legal and illegal is illegal. Let the Sheriffs snoop all they want. They only bust folks growing illegal petunias, not those who are growing legal petunias solely for medicinal purpose to relieve the suffering..
Just like traffic violations. Obey the law and you won't end up standing before a judge.
Posted by: Bill Tozer | 27 September 2013 at 07:58 PM
Bill
But the illegal petunias are big business for the incarceration industry and the taxpayer picks up the tab. It's a form of subsidy to hire more cops, build more jails and support more judges, lawyers and jailers. If it's outright legalized, which is what the new proposition supports, than all of those supported by taxpayer dollars will be cut off and will have to find something else to do. That's what Sheriff Mack rants about and is actively crusading for. The time has come.
Things have come a long way. My best friend spent six months in the county jail in Georgia in 1966 because one joint was found in the house he lived in with four others. It caused him to leave college and completely changed his life. There are some that would like to return to those days but thankfully the tide has turned and in a few short years it will all be legal.
Posted by: Paul Emery | 27 September 2013 at 10:17 PM
George exculcated: "re MichaelA's 1049pm - 'Perhaps a visit from Homeland Security is needed? I can arrange that.' That is a remarkable and sinister threat. I have no idea how to arrange Homeland Security (rapidly becoming our version of the Gestapo or KGB) to visit anyone I might designate. Is that a privilege bestowed on only a select cohort in America, or have things become so that anyone can finger anyone else to their detriment? Sure would like to know."
Oh for God's sake, George. Get a grip. You really do need to hone your humor bone. Sure, I could tattle to DHS and get them to annoy Toodles and other various RR readers if I so chose, but do you really think I would do that? And eventually the spyglass would be on me. And the FEMA camps? Pure fiction. Take a pill. Alex Jones is not in your basement.
Dude, I have baseball games to coach, and school fundraisers to attend. Why would I bother? You guys are the ROI kings supposedly, and yet you have no clue regarding how snark works, or how unimportant the bullshite on this site really is...my goodness, I feel like I am in Acting 101 at the De Anza College all over again. Let's start with some work on mime, shall we? Let's build a simple box with our hands...
Tozer gets it, he is the master of comedy on this site. He is the Louis CK at Rebane's Ruminations and you guys don't even know it. He is the King, as far as I am concerned. Respect.
Lastly, Gregory Goodknight (Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodknight) denigrates the Precautionary Principle with this: "That nasty little rhetorical device is just a restatement of Occam's razor."
As I wrote before, you are in the Let 'r Rip Camp, yes? Don't be shy, tell us how the planet has absorbed the human footprint for the past 20K years just fine, no species eliminated and mankind just walks on water, like Jesus Christ only different (since they are certainly NOT in the same Rotary Club).
Posted by: Michael Anderson | 28 September 2013 at 01:05 AM
BTW, I probably need to take a break here for a while. I hope you guys don't miss me too much, I know that I supply a lot of fuel for your fires of indignation. I try to accommodate the best I can, but sometimes I fall short, and you folks let me know right away. I appreciate that very much.
Anyway, I won't tell you--as have others--that I am done forever. I love this place, sort of like a trench I fell into on the wrong side of enemy lines, but I like you guys and we play chess together and share a nice sandwich now and again. And the whole concept of "enemy lines" begins to blur.
George, I don't think you realize your footprint, in ways in which you may not be aware or want to acknowledge. This year's theme at Burning Man was "Cargo Cult," and even though I knew what it was from my high school education in the 1970s, your theme from 3 years ago resonated. You may have sent out a meme pulse that ended up with the Burning Man organization embracing at least your marketing and framing techniques. Good work.
http://rebaneruminations.typepad.com/rebanes_ruminations/2010/12/californias-purple-cargo-cults.html
Check out this link, you will be proud:
http://explorerphoto.com/p113790803/h75815fed#h75815fed
So, adios amigos for an un poquito time out.
It's been real...
Posted by: Michael Anderson | 28 September 2013 at 01:42 AM
MA. What got some itches from Burning Man you need treated? Adioe.
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 28 September 2013 at 07:27 AM