Overpopulation and Immortality: Certain Death?
eillipses said: Yes, overpopulation would be a problem either way, but something like immortality would definitely greatly exacerbate it, would it not?
Probably - but not certainly. For instance, just to propose a hypothetical: if people no longer had to worry about their “biological clock” ticking away, the average age for pregnancy may go waaaay post 20s and 30s… like 200s and 300s. Afterall, people are having children much later these days than they used to, and that’s largely due changes still in their infancy (e.g. medicine and women’s rights).
I’m reminded of an interview with the comedian Aziz Ansari I saw the other day (to paraphrase): People get depressed when they hear about teen-pregnancy. I get depressed if the girl is 25! I’m always saying while shaking my head, ‘oh, that so sad! she had her whole life ahead of her!’ [cue laughter]
But there’s some truth in that. People are worried about “the clock”, whether biologically or practically. (I had a friend who’s father was around 50 when he was born. As he tells me, his dad just couldn’t keep up with him as one would expect a father should.)
Anyways, there would still be that next generation, whether it’s in 100 or 500 years, so what then? I don’t know. However, a hundred years or so may be enough time to find a solution. Still unknown, but possible.
Of course, this is all just a possiblity, a hypothetical. I’m just saying that there can be unexpected consequences which may mitigate, or aggravate, the problem. It’s not so clear-cut, especially when considering all the mind-bending technological possibilities in our near future. (Maybe we’ll colonize other planets? Maybe our bodies will run on solar-power? Maybe we’ll live as “uploads” in the internet? Who knows!?)
I have to head to work (which is good cause this is already a bit too much futurism and transhumanism for me today!), but give me some feedback. What do you guys think?
p.s. Anyone else see the Nova film “Can We Live Forever” (or s/t like that), hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson? It’s on NetFlix. Personally, I thought it awesome that it’s becoming such a mainstream topic, but thought it could’ve been done better. Much better. For instance, take out all that “avatar” junk and replace it with “uploading” - or at least mention it. Oh well, making progress all the same.
(Source: realcleverscience)
