The Morality of Ending Aging

Is it possible?

Aubrey de Grey

The Science

• Aging is result of evolutionary neglect, not intent

• Metabolism » Damage » Pathology

• 7 types of damage; No new type of damage identified since 1982

7 Types of Damage

• Cell loss/atrophy

• Protein crosslinks

• Extracellular junk

• Death-resistant cells

• Mitochondrial mutations

• Lysosomal junk

• Nuclear mutations

Longevity Escape Velocity

Remaining Life Expectancy

Time

Time

100 80 50

30

0

Should we do it?

Aging is undesirable

Utilitarian

• A life without old age results in more pleasure; therefore ending aging is morally acceptable

Transhumanism

• Improvement of humanity through means other than evolution

• Example: Writing, Medicine

• We value life extension

Life Expectancy

Year Expectancy

1800 30 years

2000 67 years

Objections

• Not Natural

• Boredom

• Overpopulation

More information

• www.billerickson.net

• Aubrey at A&M next semester

• Aubrey at BIL