The Quest for Immortality

[JLawrenceIV]

I am 22 years old. I would like my consciousness to be immortal in the sence of living at least long enough to be able to witness the birth of our progress to a Type 3 civilisation. Hopefully this would include ascending to a higher machine collective intelligence along the way. Before Dr. Kaku gave this this hope, I just assumed I was going to die anyway so I may as well enjoy the life I have while I have it. Gradually I am trying to improve my diet to be lower in saturated fats, higher in antioxidants and the like. I figure that my goal should be to above all keep my brain in as good a condition as I possibly can given the resources I have until such time as good technology is available to do the job for me. I am thinking of going on a caloric restiction diet soon and researching ways to have my brain frozen should disaster strike. I have been reluctant to start exercising again because I do not want to speed up my metabolism.

Does anyone have any advice for me on this matter? Do people even agree that mine is a realistic goal?

[ranyart]

No amount of Technological expertese can allow for the interjection of Chaotic accidents?

I can imagine the worker who due to a pay-dispute..or just a memory lapse of concentration, say forgeting to wear the proper cryogenic gloves?..accidentally dropping your brain(or anyone else's!) onto the floor during a routine M.O.T![*(]

You have to take it on trust that civilization would evolve to a Futurama, where the 'trust' is financially viable, and fair!

[JLawrenceIV]

True - there is always a chance I am going to be destroyed - the best I can do is to reduce the probability. I am open to suggestions on how best to minimise the probability.

[Crammitgandy]

The memories in our brain all ALL just chemical bubbles....(arent they? I'm pretty sure they are.....) Anyway, you may live to see the day when a type 3 (????) civilization comes about. I hope to live forever instead of just passing away, like some forgotten memory.

[Ontoplankton]

Originally posted by JLawrenceIV
Does anyone have any advice for me on this matter?

I would advise to visit the Immortality Institute (http://www.imminst.org), where they have a community of people with similar goals; they'll be able to advise you a lot better on this.

In general, a lot of thought has been put into the sort of questions you bring up from the viewpoint of transhumanism (http://www.aleph.se/Trans).

From your mentioning frozen heads, it seems you have already looked into cryonics.

Do people even agree that mine is a realistic goal?

Probably. I don't really agree with the "Type I/II/III/IV"- concept, but that shouldn't matter.

I don't think accidents will necessarily stop people from being immortal. Immortality would require a pretty high level of technology, and that technology should be able to eliminate most sources of accidents as well.

[garagegraphyx]

Our tissues constantly change ...
as it changes, it gets replaced ...
as it gets replaced...like the von neumann probes, it makes copies of itself ...
and as it makes copies of itself, the quality begins to deter...
for example, if we make copies after copies of video records using the same video, we would get an imperfect copy of the video in the end.

so this theory goes the same for our tissues...
now..
oxidants play the part in deterring the quality of our tissues...
however, there are certain chemicals which play the active role of doing this..
anti oxidants just arent enough...
if these chemicals are found...and the 'anti' of these chemicals are found...
i guess....another 300-400 years may not be impossible...
if you find the chemical..
tell me..
;)

[JLawrenceIV]

I would advise to visit the Immortality Institute, where they have a community of people with similar goals; they'll be able to advise you a lot better on this.

thanks for the link that helps me