Indefinite lifespan
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Indefinite lifespan is a term used in the life extension movement to refer to the longevity of humans (and other lifeforms) under conditions in which aging can be effectively and completely prevented and treated. Such individuals would still be susceptible to death, just not to death from aging. Their lifespans would be "[[Wikt:indefinite|indefinite]]", because protection from the effects of aging on health doesn't guarantee survival.
The terms "immortality" and "eternal youth" are often used as synonyms for indefinite lifespan, but they carry connotations from their other contexts which science has deemed to be impossible. That is, immortality means "impervious to harm and incapable of dying", but from a scientific point of view, this is impossible due to the Law of Entropy. "Eternal youth" implies guaranteed existence for eternity, and in this context is also impossible because of entropy. Even if cures were found for all the degenerative diseases, and effective treatments were developed for all the processes of aging, so that bodies could be maintained as easily as cars can be repaired, people would still be killed in accidents, slain in wars, perish in natural disasters, etc. Indefinite lifespan represents this state of affairs.
Is indefinite lifespan possible?
This question is twofold. On the one hand it can be interpreted to mean, "Will a cure (or program of effective treatments) for aging ever by developed?" while on the other hand it could mean "Will the effective treatment of aging become available soon enough for those alive today to take advantage of it?" The answer to the first question is conditional on medical advancement: if medical science continues to advance in the fields of biogerontology and bioengineering, then the answer is "yes, it will happen eventually, if the human race doesn't blow itself up first, that is" (see Nuclear warfare and the Doomsday Clock). The answer to the second question depends on two factors: the first being how fast medical science advances, and the second being how well each person takes care of themselves (such as utilizing the best available life extension technology or not), both of which may affect whether or not they are still alive when the cure (or set of treatments) becomes available. This strategy is captured in the subtitle "Live Long Enough To Live Forever" of the popular life extension book Fantastic Voyage, by Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman M.D.See also
- Aging
- Average life span
- Howard Families
- Life expectancy
- Life extension
- List of life extension related topics
- Maximum lifespan
- Senescence
- Technological singularity
Books
- Fantastic Voyage: The Science Behind Radical Life Extension Raymond Kurzweil and Terry Grossman M.D., [link] Rodale. 2004. 452pp. ISBN 1579549543
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