The Quest for Immortality -- Who Wants to Live Forever???

Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an infinite length of time. What form an unending or indefinitely-long human life would take, or whether the soul, should such a thing exist, possesses immortality, has been the subject of much speculation, fantasy, and debate, as well as a fundamental point of focus in many faiths and religions.

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So what are you guys' views on immortality?

Do you think it's possible to find a means to live forever? Or is it just wishful thinking on the behalf of a species that is so full of itself that they feel there MUST be a way to live forever?

If immortality is attainable, do you feel it will be done through a better diet? or perhaps the finding of the fountain of youth?

What, if any, validity do you give to tales such as that of Count Saint Germain? Did he truly live for many centuries? Or was he just the P.T. Barnum of his time?


What do you think? Is the search for everlasting life a WASTE of life? or one that might lead to the most important discovery of the given age?


Jasn

For me it’s quantity, its quality.
And as for count Saint Germain, he’s the David blain of his time

IMO, anyone who wants to live forever is just silly, lol:




[edit on 26-10-2007 by asala]

We want to live forever because God already does live forever.

"We will make them in our likeness" = We think like God, admittedly much less logic .. and other obvious things.

But since God can do it we want to try to do it too, naturally.

Look at everyday life: now were doing cloning etc.

And I'm all for stem cells .. but the point is,

we naturally try to mimick God. this is the reason we seek immortality.

because not existing doesnt make sense to us. none of us truly know what not-existing is like, and can share our experiences lol. I know death is one of the harder concepts for ME to grasp .. so Id assume the same for many.

Its because we are entitled to living forever, we just .. gotta get back to the kingdom, you know.

[edit on 10/26/2007 by runetang]

It strongly depends on HOW you would be living your eternity.

Also, would you be able to end your own life if you just got tired of living?

Too many variables to decide.

[edit on 26-10-2007 by bigbert81]

Originally posted by Chowzor
IMO, anyone who wants to live forever is an asshole.

Exactly what I was saying.

Who would want to live forever? I'm 21 going on 45 and can't wait 'til the buck stops.

Originally posted by SimiusDei
So what are you guys' views on immortality?

Immortality? No, thank you. Not that I want to die any time soon, but I'm already bored nearly to death by the surprising amount of repetition I encounter in life. Like the question posed by this thread. How many times have I seen it? A couple hundred, maybe? So I imagine that after hearing the question for another thousand years or so, it would make me even more bored. Then 10,000 years. Then a million years. All of the answerable questions will be answered, all of the unanswerable questions will repeat forever. I can't imagine anything but insanity as the only outcome.

Well we most likely started out as single celled life and then after a few billion years were caveman and now we are with technology. I honestly think if we make it to the next 500 years with humans still existing and adapting technology then yes we will be able to live forever in realities or universes we create. We would keep evolving until we were something like Q from Star Trek if we made it out of the next few hundred years without killing ourselves.

Things like nano robots and cybernetics could be used to make death stop in the near future. We are also gonna be able to mess with the aging gene as well so who knows what the next century will bring.

I personally would like to live forever and I also think there would be enough to keep my mind occupied given the means to explore space and time and all that interesting stuff. I also think its up to us as a race to get to that level and it isnt set in stone and if we destroy ourselves I really think that seals our fate to oblivion because the universe will eventually die if current quantum physics is correct and our existence would die with it.

I saw this documentary on national geographic the other day about traveling to different worlds and some of the obsticles they would have to over come etc....
Anyhow there was a small segment about this scientest that had discovered a gene to extend the lives of the being that had the modified gene. Long story short she had moded the genes of some worm and it was able to live like 4 times as long and twice as big. I guess that if they could find this gene in humans then maybe we would be able to live a lot longer then we do. But I guess that God wouldnt let that happen hey.
Just my 2 cents lol.

-fm

"It would be easier to stop the sun from shining or the season from changing than to stop the growth of the eternal soul." I wrote that a few years ago.

I believe we are eternal and this life is just a jerk water stop we've decided to visit along the way.

You are going to live forever. Right now you're just in a demented phase of eternity that most of us seem to consider some sort of hell. I've no doubt we probably deserve it.

Still, I look forward to the rest of my eternal journey.

To the OP;


Tell me, in your own words, why you wish to live forever.

EDIT: If not, then that is fair.

It seems each and every person on this planet wishes to be immortal in some aspect or other.

I, for example - would wish to remain immortal in order to help humanity attain it's full capability.

Judging from those words, one would think i thought of immortality as a curse rather than a gift...

[edit on 26-10-2007 by Throbber]

our bodies are designed to self destruct as soon as we pass prime reproductive age. it's true. I don't think it will ever be overcome, even by extreme methods, our cells are literally designed that way

I'd like to see my grandkids get married, that's about it.

I would not want to live forever!!! No way! I am happy that I live a short and meaningless life..

Lets put it this way.. Have you ever played a really kewl video game? And then hack the game? Where you have infinte lives.. take no damage, and can do everything? And then after 2 days of playing a hacked game you lose all passion for the game?

Thats me totally, If I want to get unaddicted to a game, I just hack it..
Then it gets boring..
I think life works the same way in a sense..

We are given this little slice.. Anymore and it would lose its luster..IMO

I think mortals have been given the gift of a short life...

And thats all I have to say on this idea..

Live forever? Sure why not.

I don't doubt the possibility exists to preserve this particular experience, whether through genetics or nanotech... though I'm fine with death too because I don't believe it's the end. I'm just here for the ride.

I've been asked this question before and I still find it hard to answer. I feel that since humans aren't meant to live forever that there might be something "not right" about it or that it would'nt be as wonderful as we might think maybe.

Or maybe it would be wonderful? But how would we ever find out?

Why would I want to live forever?

Well, that's actually pretty easy. While I do have a very large caring side, I am (for the most part) self centered. I would want to live forever because I do not want to die. I'm not scared of death, I am a firm believer in reincarnation. But, I would like to spend countless lives being able to retain all of my memories.

I would like to see how much things change and to actually KNOW that they changed through witnessing them myself.

Of course, there would be many hardships in an eternal life, losing loved ones likely being the hardest. But, it may just be worth it eventually.

Of course, if you could find a way to keep living, I'm sure you would be able to die if you so chose.


Now, IF you were able to live forever BUT you continued to age and breakdown physically.....bah....you can keep it.


Jasn

I would want to live forever.

The research I have done concerning gene-therapy and anti-aging research indicates, contrary to a previous post, that our celluar structure was actually intended to peak at the age of about 25 and perpetually sustain it self indefinately. At some point in our far distant past, possibly related to a solar event, replication issues entered into the process of our DNA replication (celluar division) causing cellular degradation (i.e. aging and death).

So, yes; science will eventually overcome the aging problem and we will have the opportunity to live forever. And when it becomes ready for public consumption I will be the first in line to take the gene-therapy for it.

I want to see what happens next.

-Euclid

[edit on 30-10-2007 by euclid]

[edit on 30-10-2007 by euclid]

Originally posted by SimiusDei

Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an infinite length of time. What form an unending or indefinitely-long human life would take, or whether the soul, should such a thing exist, possesses immortality, has been the subject of much speculation, fantasy, and debate, as well as a fundamental point of focus in many faiths and religions.

Source

So what are you guys' views on immortality?

Do you think it's possible to find a means to live forever? Or is it just wishful thinking on the behalf of a species that is so full of itself that they feel there MUST be a way to live forever?

If immortality is attainable, do you feel it will be done through a better diet? or perhaps the finding of the fountain of youth?

What, if any, validity do you give to tales such as that of Count Saint Germain? Did he truly live for many centuries? Or was he just the P.T. Barnum of his time?


What do you think? Is the search for everlasting life a WASTE of life? or one that might lead to the most important discovery of the given age?


Jasn

I just found out about ATS and your thread.

I have successfully located and made contact with a gentleman whom I fully beleive is nearly 2,800 years old. I have started blogging my experiences with this immortal here.

I would welcome your questions that I should ask this gentleman the next time I speak with him.

I would accept immortality only if I could travel the stars at or beyond the speed of light without boundary. Meet knew civilizations and shake hands and smile before the other, seek knowledge and technology, impart knowledge and technology, propagate the seed within other worlds, explore life's beginnings, observe the universe from every direction, and project whatever else a magnificent immortal being has the power to perform in this realm.

But, That is only a dream and as it is, we must all follow the DNA coded cycle of life to expire back to our true origin and begin again later.

It is all free will. Different people will view this differently and all have a right at it.
- i.e., some dont want to live forever, fine - but dont let this stop those who are seeking immortality.

We would benefit from respecting each others wishes and not being afraid of it foremost.

Having said that Im all for immortality in the sense of consciously making the choice of if I die, what form I take in another life, etc.

The lack of consciousness in such a transition as death into another life, is what Im not really into. Dum Spiro Spero, while i have breath I have hope. In this is truth.
Most people wait for some mystery in the sky to do it for them...thats there choice.

They believe in everlasting life floating on clouds or what - not.
I think a lot of people would get bored...realistically. Again, it depend on the individual, how they understand and perceive reality as to how they would respond to given question.

Peace

dAlen