How likely is it immortality exists but is withheld by world powers?

[schwarzkopf]

The trait 'immortality' already exists in our cells OP.
We commonly call it cancer.

But no - as for immortality for our entire body, that is a long way off. WAY WAY off. Primarily because cell death is required for us to live as long as we do.

Thankfully - because immortality is a curse, not a blessing.

[Powerogue]

If it did, wouldn't those world powers be the first ones to use it? That just seems silly.

Now, if we actually had conspicuously similar looking people living throughout history like Vandal Savage, then I'd say you were on to something.

[Veldoranz]

Essentially 0

[Super Kami Dende]

A relative technology already exists with blood transfusions. It's highly immoral and currently not practiced in medicine. I'm sure someone super rich could buyout the morals of the medical professional willing to do it, but usually the super rich are within public spotlight so it's not entirely feasible.

It's isn't your blood alone that causes aging, it is cell replication degeneration across your entire body.

[AcidicSyn]

If it did, wouldn't those world powers be the first ones to use it? That just seems silly.

Now, if we actually had conspicuously similar looking people living throughout history like Vandal Savage, then I'd say you were on to something.

~snipped video~

There is some pretty well vetted evidence that Keanu Reeves is, in fact, immortal.

[Deleted]

What does immortality even mean? It's a fantasy construct in most cases and not really something worth to withhold anyway. This thread could easily shift asking whether our medicine and health science actually are something of enormous value. On first look of course but on the greater picture? Have we damaged or saved more potential for humanity overall in the last few centuries? Many philosophers are not really sure

[Linkedblade]

Humans there is just no way to maintain homeostasis for a long period of time. I mean average life expectancy has risen. So there are those extremes that are more likely than before.

But if you mean perhaps keeping your consciousness outside of your body, maybe

[AcidicSyn]

Theoretically; I believe modern science has concluded that it might be possible; based purely on an understanding on what makes our bodies age, stop working, and eventually die. However, there are no known methods for actually preventing or reversing this process. So, as far as I understand it; it's more a situation of if we could prevent that process; then we could; theoretically, achieve a state of existence that is similar to what we refer to as immortality.

No, there are no recorded cases of this ever being successful.

I think it would be far more plausible to say that the current generation may bare witness to a breakthrough that allows us to dramatically increase our comfortable lifespan. Which is to say retaining mobility and independence for a much larger period of time (IE: a 90 year old who can perform at the same or similar physical and mental capacity they did at 60 being common). Such a breakthrough would, logically, lead to an overall extension of our lifespans as well.

But immortality? Hey I'd very much like to not die just as much as anyone else; but I just don't see that in the cards right now.

Sidenote: I also think we'll see technology that allows us to greatly slow aging in a controlled environment (hypersleep) for use in long distance space travel long before we develop tech that allows the average everyday human on earth to live into their 300s.


Oh, and sidenote 2: Someone mentioned there being "vast" numbers of jellyfish that do the life cycle trick. To correct this; it's just one single species, and one that is commonly misrepresented in media at that: Turritopsis dohrnii (according to random googling)

[Caaethil]

It's pretty baffling with how technology has come along, immortality hasn't been achieved. I think immortality or eternal existence actually does exist but it's obviously withheld because it would throw the world into chaos for obvious reasons.

I fail to see what's so baffling about the fact this hasn't been figured out yet. You're suggesting either a magic eternal youth potion, or transferring human consciousness onto a machine. I'd really like you to suggest some current technologies you know of which suggest to you that this is a realistic expectation in 2018. Because literally nothing we have is even close to that level of technology.

[Powerogue]

There is some pretty well vetted evidence that Keanu Reeves is, in fact, immortal.

Stating evidence exists isn't the same as demonstrating it.

I have plenty of evidence here in a stack on my desk that says the moon is made of swiss cheese, with a provolone core. Very well vetted. Trust me on this.

[plagueshard801]

I would pass on immortality if it existed. I am only 36 and have already seen enough of life to know it would get old.

[ParanoiD84]

Zero chance.

[Najnaj]

It's pretty baffling with how technology has come along, immortality hasn't been achieved. I think immortality or eternal existence actually does exist but it's obviously withheld because it would throw the world into chaos for obvious reasons.

..yeah, this is going to need double layers of tinfoil.

[Unholyground]

Nanites and or Genetic manipulation will free us from natural death some day.

[druenos]

It's pretty baffling with how technology has come along, immortality hasn't been achieved. I think immortality or eternal existence actually does exist but it's obviously withheld because it would throw the world into chaos for obvious reasons.

Immortality isn't possible with today's tech and might never be possible. It certainly doesn't exist now otherwise why do all the rich and famous/world leaders keep dying? For immortailty you would need all diseases cured, cancer, Heart failure, stroke, dementia, viruses and all the other ailments that could kill you. Do you know what telemas are? Every cell has a long string of them that gets shorter each time the cell divides so the cell can only divide a finite amount of times. Free radicals can knock out bits of your dna meaning the next time it divides it has a small amount of mistakes, these mistakes over our lifetime manifests itself as ageing. Our bodies are pre programed to die,it's an evolutionary necessity. Enjoy the years you have left because death isn't going away any time soon. Not saying some day we might solve these problems but up to today with civilizations accumulated technology, these problems are insurmountable.

[Awe]

TRUE immortality is, according to principles of physics, impossible. Even if we would find a way to never age or get sick, the world will end at some point, no matter the scale we look at. Our planet will die, if we discover FTL travel, entire universe will "die" eventually as well. No matter which theory you pick, each one ends with some form of "death" of everything. And even if we would live for 10 billion years, it is still NOTHING when compared to ETERNITY that happens after we die.

[Shadowferal]

TRUE immortality is, according to principles of physics, impossible.

And it should be impossible biologically.
Part of what make us human is the duality and relationship of Life and Death, one gives meaning to the other. Without one there can't be the other. And it shouldn't.
To me it's reasonable to believe that without death a person can never truly know life.

[Underverse]

It's not baffling at all that it doesn't exist yet, actually, as someone who is very familiar with biotechnology. I would say there's an approximately 0% chance that something like this is being withheld by world powers.

[The Stormbringer]

There is some pretty well vetted evidence that Keanu Reeves is, in fact, immortal.

Poor guy's gonna have to fake his death soon. I'll miss him.

[yetgdhfgh]

True immortality could not simply exist and by true immortality i mean you literally cannot die EVER! So when the universe ends you will just be floating in a empty space forever.

As for very, VERY long life i highly doubt that too