From: Joao Pedro (jpnitya@mail.esoterica.pt)
Date: Sun Sep 14 1997 - 19:38:35 MDT
Hi!
Since this is not exactly about cryopreservation, I've decided to send
another message.
Anders Sandberg wrote:
> I don't think genetic errors is a likely problem once the "basic" ones
> are fixed. The genome is finite, and if we can fix one part of it so
> well we can stop aging it seems likely we can deal with the secondary
> aging problems. However, there are likely many other reasons beside
> genes to why we age; we need some radical restorations after a few
> centuries anyway of the non-replenishing systems, plain damage and
> waste built-up, not to mention to expand our capacity to avoid getting
> trapped in a loop.
'basic ones'? If aging was a result of 'basic' errors, evolution would
soon had found a way to prevent aging which is not the case for our
species.
The genome is finite but there are theories that claim all genes as
pleiotropic or having more than one function at the same time. We are
incredibly complex organisms with enormous interactions between all our
genes. I think that seeing the aging process as individual genetic
errors is a mistake. There is a gene that codes immunity to malaria but,
at the same time, can (if it is homozygous) provoke sickle-cell which is
a terrible disease. This reminds me of environmental changes, you solve
a problem but immediately create a new one so complex are the
connections between species at their niches. Our genome is the same
thing, you might fix an error on it to later find out that you just made
yourself impotent.
Also, there are certainly lethal genes that are active when you are,
say, 200 years old and you will have to deal with them too with the only
difference being the fact than no-one even knows they exist. Say, as a
practical example, the CJD (human mad cow disease). It is caused by
accumulating defective proteins that usually take decades to act.
Proteins might (and, IMHO, certainly) exist that take centuries to
accumulate before they kill you and these are the diseases that you will
have to deal in the future. Errors will always happen.
Going back to cryopreservation, this futuristic lethal genes are a good
reason to pursue successful cryopreservation. That way the first ones to
witness the effects of this lethal genes would be cryopreservated until
a cure was to be found.
I could go on forever, the best way is for you to read my "Why are We
Allowed to Age?" article in my site at
http://mithlond.esoterica.pt/~jpnitya/science/why.htm
(actually you won't be able to read it, like I mention ahead)
What is getting trapped in a loop? Perhaps it's my English but I don't
seem to understand what are you saying?
> > Visit my site at: http://mithlond.esoterica.pt/~jpnitya/
>
> BTW, I can't access your essay or your homepage, please check the
> read permissions on your files.
I'm terribly sorry, I even sent you an e-mail asking you to check out my
site for, perhaps, a link in your own page and my site isn't working.
It's not my fault, it's my server's fault, I hope it's fixed at the
beginning of next week. Also my site's address should change to
http://homepage.esoterica.pt/~jpnitya/
but only next week I'll be sure. Sorry once again.
--
Hasta la vista...
"Life's too short to cry, long enough to try." - Kai Hansen
Visit my site at: http://mithlond.esoterica.pt/~jpnitya/
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