Submitted by gg2ezpzlemonsqz t3_zvfc6x in Futurology
devinhedge t1_j1pq7ix wrote
Only an opinion, so take this for what it’s worth.
Just answering your question: there is a fundamental flaw with thinking of our brain as a computer. It doesn’t really store memories the way we talk of it. There was a recent article in MSM that really deconstructed how terrible our current analogy is for conveying how little we know about how the brain works. So, I don’t think your idea would work until we actually figure out how human brains work, and can agree on a common definition of consciousness.
Let me see if I can find that article.
Edit: found it. The article is an OpEd, so usual disclaimers of bias apply. At the same time, the author really does a decent job of illustrating that be know that we know less now than we have ever known before about the mechanisms of the brain and consciousness, partly because we tend to desire a metaphor to explain the mechanizations to non-neuroscientists, which then becomes a reinforcing loop in a complex adaptive human system called “collective understanding”.
Then, adding on my own thoughts on top of a science based answer…
There is an arc to a person’s life. It’s not necessarily really linear, but has definite stages to it. This arc is largely developmental and psychological in natural. There comes a point in a person’s life where they are generally “done” with what they hoped to do, or have experienced/seen enough, or set up the legacy they intended such that they consider their life’s work done. I think the jury is out on how much physiology plays into this as a factor.
Finally, there is a food source challenge that would play into how many people can the earth sustain?
So, even if we could stop aging at some point, I’m not sure a lot of people would want to. Maybe a better approach to facing mortality is to stop being so bad at facing mortality? Our struggles with mortality seem to largely be a Western thing. IDKW Eastern cultures seem to be better at accepting the temporal nature of life. There may be a religious aspect.
This is just what comes to mind. Love reading many of the thoughtful responses.
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