Immortality: 20 years away? (without spelling or theological errors!)

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

My favorite* author/scientist/inventor Ray Kurzweil has recently published a book that contends that human immortality is a mere 20 years away. In the past, I have done in-dept study of his book The Age of Spiritual Machines - and while it is interesting, I simply cannot buy anything the man says... That, however; is not the point!

The point is, I would like you to read this article and tell me YOUR views on what RK has to say... Do you think it's possible? If so, why? If not, why? Once again, ENLIGHTEN ME!

Human Immortality: 20 Years Away!!!

*Sarcastic, of course.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Psst, fix the thread title. Immorality is already here.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

hehehehe

 

[Ahnehnois]

Immorality!=Immortality

Seriously, one can't "predict" such radical scientific advances.
However, it would be absurd to say that "immortality" in the biological sense that you don't die of old age isn't possible. 20 years may be a bit optimistic though.

 

[Darrin Drader]

I'll just put that in the same category as flying cars, civilian flights to Mars, and household robots. At least we got the mad computer technology they talked about when I was a kid... still waiting for the AI though.

 

[Krieg]

still waiting for the AI though.

You have until about 2040 or so on that one.

 

[WayneLigon]

I'll just put that in the same category as flying cars, civilian flights to Mars, and household robots. At least we got the mad computer technology they talked about when I was a kid... still waiting for the AI though.

Same here. We were suppossed to be immortal 'any year now' twenty, thirty years ago.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I'll just put that in the same category as flying cars, civilian flights to Mars, and household robots. At least we got the mad computer technology they talked about when I was a kid... still waiting for the AI though.

Word.

"Just 20 years away" is synonymous for "after I've made millions from the book rights stemming from this essay people will have forgotten what I said and I can make new predicitons about, oh, I don't know, cats being our new mutant overlords."

If you want me to believe in a given technology show me a working alpha version.

 

[Umbran]

I have to put myself in the "unsupported speculation" camp. We do not have any reliable "nanobots" right now. I don't see how one can reasonably expect we'll not just develop them in general, but have them for safe use inside human bodies within 20 years.

 

[kirinke]

Besides which, I wouldn't want the bloody things inside my body even if they were available. You know the old saying....
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong especially if it is really complex, really small and really inaccessible.