IUBio

Attitudes to life extension via genetic engineering

Don Ashley dashley at TENET.EDU
Tue Feb 14 07:19:29 EST 1995


John,

Have you been reading our publications on the ramifications and benefits 
of curing the 'old age disease'?  Your solutions to typical resistance 
parallel what we have discussed in our groups.  

It is highly refreshing to meet an independent thinker who does not think 
like sheep.

On Tue, 14 Feb 1995, John de Rivaz wrote:

> In article: <Pine.SOL.3.91.950212144723.16568A-100000 at corona>  Patrick 
> O'Neil <patrick at corona> writes:
> > Conversely, I have considered the wideer ramifications of such 
> > manipulations and capabilities and have come to the conclusion that 
> > significant life extension in general would be disastrous.  The worl 
> > 
> There are a few points I would like to raise here.
> 
> 1. That made by George Bernard Shaw - people living longer lives would be 
> personally concerned about the future and have less need to reproduce.
> 
> 2. As population growth is exponential, if everyone who ever died was 
> resurrected, it would only double the world's population. And we are taling 
> about life extension, not resurrection.
> 
> 3. by refusing life extension research on the grounds of population, we are 
> doing the same thing as saying to old people that we will not give you 
> access to medical treatment because we want to make room for someone else, 
> and that expands into "we will kill you to make room for someone else".
> 
> 4. Some children were once asked if they met god, what would they ask. One 
> said: "Why do you go on making more people when you don't look after those 
> you have got?"
> 
> 5. It is uneconomic to pay to educate new people if we can go on getting 
> contributions from those we have already educated.
> 
> Further comments welcomed, please.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Sincerely,     ****************************************       
>                * Publisher of        Longevity Report *
> John de Rivaz  *                     Fractal Report   *
>                *          details on request          *
>                ****************************************
> **** What is the point of life if it ends in death? ****
> 
> 
> 




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