Radical Life Extension

by Anna Gorman, Isabelle Megosh, Lucie Peyrebrune, and

Olivia Henry
 Discussion Questions (5 minutes)
Group 1: Would people still have kids/ how would this affect family dynamics?

Group 2: Would people retire? If automation came into play how would people
make an income?

Group 3: Could the planet sustain a growing population if no one dies?

Group 4: How do you leave if you don’t want to live anymore?

Group 5: Does love serve a purpose if life is infinite?

 SWBAT

Identify what radical life extension is

and how it affects each of the boats as
well as be able to form their own
opinions on radical life extension and its
impacts
What is it and how close are we? (2 mins)
● Radical Life Extension is the process of stopping/slowing down the process of aging
● FDA now recognizes aging as a disease (can be targeted and treated)
● Aubrey de Grey claims that the first person to live to 1,000 has already been born
● Accomplished by reprogramming cells to stop aging, genetic modification,
supplements, engineering enzymes
● "The benefits of living longer are not the point. The benefits are not having
Alzheimer's disease,” reducing the causes of death, not death itself
● Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS) is the eventual elimination
of age-related disease by decreases the senescence in an animal. This is through
medical intervention that prevents or hinders molecular and cellular damage that
cause degeneration.
● Lobsters do not show any signs of senescence (don’t lower reproductive ability, slow
their metabolism or decrease in strength).
● Robust mouse rejuvenation could around double the lifespan of a mouse.
Benefits of Radical Life Extension (7 mins for both)
Concept of Life Social Relations Work and Economy
● We treat death as inevitable, ● People won’t have to ● People will work longer
with radical life extension, watch their loved ones which increases
life has more value die in front of them productivity in the
● Motor and mental skills will workforce
● More time to resolve
not deteriorate, healthspan ● With more time and
conflicts
will increase experience,
“Do we really want to ● More time to develop
● technological
condemn an entire cohort of relationships and advancements will
humanity to an unnecessary connections flourish
short life just because we
thought society might not
like it much?”
Drawbacks of Radical Life Extension
Concept of Life
● The idea that life is finite
and short greatly
impacts how people
choose to live their lives
● The virtues of morality
instills a desire to make
each day count and to
treasure and appreciate
life
Social Relations Work and Economy
● It is the finite nature of ● As other technologies
life that prompts people such as AIs advance,
to wholly commit what does that mean for
themselves to each those who have jobs
now and will live
other
forever? How will they
● “Death creates an
get income?
economy that makes ● Will people work longer
love possible” to compensate for their
● Would people enter into longer lives and how will
marriage fully expecting retirement work?
to marry again?
Simulation!!
 2040
The year is 2040 and radical life extension is possible! We
make up the top 1% and are the only people in this room who
can afford radical life extension. We each start with 20
pennies. If you are in the outer row, you are a member of the
lower class. Your first generation will each be given 10
pennies. If you are in the inner row, you are a member of the
middle class. Your first generation will each be given 15
pennies.
 2080
The year is 2080. Give up one of your pennies to us because
we own all corporations and wealth in this country. You have
now died because you can’t live forever. Pass your remaining
money on to the person next to you. They represent your next
generation.
 2120
The year is 2120. Give up one of your pennies to us because
we own all corporations and wealth in this country. You have
now died because you can’t live forever. Pass your remaining
money on to the person next to you. They represent your next
generation.
 2160
The year is 2160. Give up one of your pennies to us because
we own all corporations and wealth in this country. You have
now died because you can’t live forever. Pass your remaining
money on to the person next to you. They represent your next
generation.
 2200+
Continue this process until you get to the final generation. We,
the top 1%, have now died and passed on our incredibly large
fortune to our children, who will continue to accumulate
money because they also have radical life extension.
 Wealth Gap Comparison
Beginning End
 Debrief
● Which boat do you think would be impacted the most by
radical life extension?
● How accurate do you think the simulation is in showing the
impacts?
● Knowing what you know now, would your answers to the
earlier discussion questions be different?
● Do you think you would want to live forever?