Science a GoGo's Home Page Forums General Discussion Not-Quite-Science Forum Human Body 2.0 - Post Script

Human Body 2.0 describes a radical view of how humanity can win in its battle against death.

This year, more than 50 million humans will die - most of whom could stay alive and enjoy perfect health if 2030s technologies were available today.

Nearly everyone who dies has an active brain at time of death; their memories and thoughts may be a bit fuzzy, but tomorrow's science could rejuvenate these minds too. The brain is OK, but the body just quits working.

Nobody enjoys bad health, and death is absolutely the last thing anyone wants to experience. Human Body 2.0 talks about some of the technologies that promise to keep our bodies in perfect condition - indefinitely.

Personally, I see this as a great victory for humanity against its perennial enemy - death.

Comments welcome.

Perhaps. But as Blacknad notes, what percentage of the population will benefit? The technology will be expensive.

Most of the breakthroughs described in Human Body 2.0 take place between 2030 and 2050. As Kurzweil mentions, this won?t happen all at once.

Clinical trials will make each new body adaption available every couple of years or so, and by 2050, everyone who had decided to undergo these revolutionary improvements will be living in a superior body.

Some people may reject these technologies, and not become part of this ?magical future?. No one will be forced to improve themselves.

By mid-2020s, nano-replicators will appear in homes providing goods and essentials at little or no cost, thus lowering living expenses and providing everyone with more leisure time.

Huge increases in intelligence expected by mid-2030s will speed progress in all areas of our lives resulting in overwhelming changes in the way we live and think.

Some economists predict the impending molecular nano-revolution could thrust us into a non-commerce world by as early as mid-century or shortly after ? completely doing away with costs of any kind.

Is this an optimistic view? Of course, but there is nothing mentioned that is not possible with technology advances expected in the coming decades, and this future could become reality.

Futuretalk,

The things you are talking about are exciting and I welcome the benefits they will provide.

I hate being the party-pooper, but I think you need to be more realistic. Economists and all sorts of experts told us that the advent of the computer would mean the paperless office, less work, '3 day working weeks' and more leisure time than we could use.

What is the reality? In Britain we work incredibly long hours and despite all the labour saving devices in the world - Dishwashers, Microwaves etc. - we just don't have enough time to fit in everything we need to. And in fact now all adults in a household need to work to have a decent standard of living. And what do we do with the spare time we do have? We sit and watch Celebrities and live our lives through them by proxy.


The main problem with your joyous view of the future is that it fails to understand the human condition.

Technology can make us all equal, but people will always ensure that some are more equall than others. Do you really think that the mighty will altruistically abandon their power structures - or do you not think they will fight tooth and nail to retain them?

We have an incredible ability as a species to crap on every possible blessing. Unless this is your starting point for change, you will only be disappointed.

Blacknad.

I do not believe that we can predict the future by comparing what the past was like, or even the present.

Technologies are advancing exponentially today, and in the future, the rate of exponential advances will even increase more. These include improving our bodies, minds, homes, economy, and everything that exists on our planet.

Most futurists see a positive future unfolding over the next four or five decades. Maybe we will just have to wait and see if they are correct.

History repeats herself. She has to - no one listens.

Blacknad.

I guess everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Enough said.