This is the scientific version of ELPIs Theory.
For the lay version see www.thesleepingbeauty.info
Extreme Lifespans through Perpetual-equalising Interventions (ELPIs)
Elpis is Greek for 'Hope'. The ELPIs theory holds that we all have an innate evolutionary capability of living indefinitely, but the mechanism is not activated. It would be possible, given the right technology, to activate this mechanism and achieve extreme lifespans, with a negligible rate of ageing.
"It is nonsensical and counter-intuitive to believe that Nature (or God) created complex life only to allow it to end after a set period of time. A living being, once created, must be able to live indefinitely, or to put it in another way, it should not be allowed to die through ageing. Otherwise, what is the point of creating it in the first place? However, it is clear that all our attempts at dramatically increasing life-span are doomed to failure. This is because we follow a course of action the outcome of which has already been decided. There must be another way. An alternative approach could be based upon completely different and entirely un-indoctrinated ways of thinking. There must be an innate mechanism that can be modified, and shift the entire death pathway into another, parallel pathway, that will have no pre-defined end. This 'something' is in fact, the evolutionary impetus to achieve higher complexity in the quickest way possible. Finding ways to enhance this process, will lead to indefinite lifespans."
During the course of discussing these ideas I adopt, on the whole, a post-positivist approach in that I accept that some elements of the discourse are generally conjectural rather than based upon solid scientific foundations. However I believe in the search for objective scientific truth, I recognise the value of experimental methodology and that of ontological realism, and follow Thomas Kuhn's line of thinking.
* I chose the word 'immortality' to describe a situation whereby death by senescence (or increased rate of mortality as a function of chronological age) is negligible. This is the same concept as SENS.
* Thermodynamically, it is not necessary for senescence to exist. Life takes energy from the environment and discharges entropy as a result, so the final sum is zero.
* In practice, immortality is taken to mean not an eternal life but an indefinite lifespan, i.e. a lifespan without a predetermined end, and the abolition of involuntary death due to ageing. In addition, it is taken to mean the continual absence of significant age-related pathology. Death may still ensue following significant trauma or infection, and according to statistics (Deaths: final data for 2002. National Vital Statistics Reports, www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr53/nvsr53_05acc.pdf) this may limit the actual lifespan to 1700 years, unless ways are developed to repair any deadly trauma through technology.
* The ELPIs theory is concerned with the biological immortality of the soma (body) and not the immortality of the soul, which is the subject of religion.
Philosopher: "Human is a creature that thinks about death"
Enlightened scientist: "Human is a creature that thinks about immortality"