The Ethics of Life Extension Bob Brown Rafael

The Ethics of Life Extension Bob Brown & Rafael Villa-Angulo Bio-Ethics with Professor Solka 20 February 2007 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa-Angulo

Agenda Topic introduction Approaches to extending life Advantages and disadvantages of methods Ethics areas of consideration Conclusions and quotes 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 2

The Life Extension Ethics Question: Should technologies that radically extend the human lifespan be allowed to be employed? 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 3

Robert Freitas estimates that: • 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) 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 4

Biomedical Gerontologists: 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. 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 5

Methods to Extending Life Cure diseases and stop the aging process Artificial organs with nanomaterials or superior materials Significant body organ replacement SENS (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 Bob Brown &of Rafael Villavery complex system physical and chemical 20 Februrary 2007 1 Angulo. Page 6

Anti-Life Extension Viewpoint Leon 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 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page 7 posterity. “ 6

Europe’s Enhance Initiative The 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 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa 20 Februrary 2007 8 medicine, University. Angulo. Page of Bristol

Discussion Topics Nanotechnology Cryogenics Body part replacement Mind Uploading Cyborg citizens 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 9

The most promising is 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. 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 10

Advantages of Nanomedicine Extremely 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 any symptoms. Administer drugs that are precisely targeted. Use non-invasive imaging tools to Bob Brown & Rafael Villademonstrate that. Angulo. Page the treatment was 11 20 Februrary 2007

Disadvantages for Nanomedicine What 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 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page research methods that are not in the 12

Cryonics 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. 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 13

Advantages of cryonics A complete body or organ can be preserved for hundreds or thousands of years There is a strong belief that in a no longer future technology and medicine will be available to restore damage and successfully revive cryopreserved patients 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 14

Disadvantages to Cryonics It 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 Bob Brown & Rafael Villasuccessful, and you do not come back 15 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page

Body parts replacement 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. 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 16

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. 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 17

Disadvantages to Body Part Replacement Has been evolving over many centuries. Wood teeth, hook or stump, to artificial heart & limbs Seems 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& Rafael the. Villaones not used? Bob Brown 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page 18

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. 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 19

Advantages of Mind uploading This process would capture a person’s entire personality, memory, skills, and history It is possible by first interfacing biological human brains with computer parts, and the gradual replacement of biological components with mechanical ones Immortality will be possible 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 20

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. Bobmodel” of cyborg comes Brown & Rafael Villa 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page 21

Cyborg Citizens 1. 0 – Silicon and Beyond Honda’s Asimo robot Neurons on a chip Some 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 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page 22

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) 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 23

Disadvantages of Cyborg Citizens They 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-ofcontrol? When do we have to treat them a humans, because they are sentient beings? They will be able to perform duties faster, better, Bob and cheaper than people. Brown & Rafael Villa 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page 24

Ethics Areas of Consideration 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 25

Personal Quality of life vs. extending life The number of years ones should have to work Marriage(s) and the extended family Kids, Grandkids cubed Personal cost of procedures Tweak “broken” psychological traits Experiences, viewpoints, genetic tendencies Moving into another body Bob Brown & Rafael Villa 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page 26

Legal When 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. Bob Brown & Rafael Villaeverything in between? 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page 27

Financial Cost to society vs funding other ‘priorities’ If more money can be made extending life vs finding cures for “diseases” Rich versus Poor – societies and people Forget the inheritance How long is Society willing to cover people no longer able to cover their own expenses? Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Will the great-great grandkids 28 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page

Religion & Philosophy If one can live 100 s 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? 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 29

Societal Issues 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. racism Redefine schooling – new slant on continuous education What will we need to know in 100 years – can’t program the VCR Knowledge pack downloads – to stay Bob Brown & Rafael Villacurrent 20 Februrary 2007 Angulo. Page 30

Political & Nationalism What 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. slavery The ‘have’ and ‘have-not’ societies What if different countries allow different amounts of life extending capabilities to be used? 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 31

Environmental Impact on natural resources Impact on population growth rates Can we start out by extending the life of pets? Suggestion – allow people to only be 4 ft tall 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 32

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, 20 Februrary 2007 Neuroscientist Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 33

Immortality first! Everything else can wait. - Corwyn Prater 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 34

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. Harper. Collins 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 20 Februrary 2007 Bob Brown & Rafael Villa. Angulo. Page 35