How would you like your DNA modified?

[fredreload]

Right well, before you think I'm crazy. I'm speculating on how DNA can be modified in the future, give or take hopefully within the next 25 years. I set up a poll and you are welcome to vote on it.

 

1. The Crispr/CAS9 is a well known method that uses a bacteria enzyme to cut and modify the DNA. They've had successful modification of the animal embryo, but it could be error prone. It uses a molecular scissor to cut the DNA and after that you swap in the desired DNA sequence.

 

2. The nanomachine method is all theoretical, scientist are working on building a nanomachine of this scale not to mention method of mass production. Let's imagine each nanomachine contains a wireless antenna that sends signal to your computer. You can track its position and you can control when and where you want to make the cut at the click of a button, imaging the nanomachine can be done with laser scanning, you provide the nanomachine with the correct power source and a mechanical scissor that is able to cut your DNA. You can have it carry the DNA sequence for you and swap in the sequence like planting a tree, speculating. It is recycleable

 

3. The laser light capable of breaking the DNA molecular bond at the desired area. You've ever played chop the fruit on cell phone? Kind of like that except you are slicing DNA with a laser light. You get to image the DNA sequence with laser scanning technology again. You make a precise cut a the right location and you use a light tweezer to swap the DNA sequence to the correct location after you've made the cut. It sounds tedious at first but once you've got all the laser light programmed to beam at the right place, you would cover your entire body with the laser light, then with one button click the DNA could be swapped. It could be quite convenient

 

Well as much as science have many breakthroughs in this area currently we are in stage one, but there is always a chance that an error can exist and it cannot be controlled. Once it enters the body, it's all on its own. That makes the second and third techniques more flexible. I'd imagine number three is probably easier to construct than number two, but both of these methods are quite desirable. With the laser scanning technology they could be working at 100% accuracy. I'm not discouraging method one either since many applications are still being tested out at this case, but I'll let you guys decide on this one. My pick with be number 3

[DrmDoc]

How about a 4th choice...not at all. Why would you agree to have your DNA modified? What are the circumstances that might make the modifications you've listed necessary?

[fredreload]

How about a 4th choice...not at all. Why would you agree to have your DNA modified? What are the circumstances that might make the modifications you've listed necessary?

Immortality and repair damaged organs, dream of humanity

[DrmDoc]

Immortality? Do you really want to live forever?

[Sensei]

How about 5th answer: by viruses?
That's the most typical way DNA are changed/modified on daily basis.
Virus attacking cell, is replacing/modifying DNA, to its own introduced.
So one can create virus which will replace your own DNA with your own DNA+some modifications.

Instead of fighting with virus/bacteria one can replace its own DNA, the all cells, with DNA with modifications disallowing these viruses/bacteria to attacking you.

Immortality? Do you really want to live forever?

Of course.
That should be the aim for every intelligent person.
That's what for believers pray in churches, to live after death.
So why not live "forever", prior death, if it never happens?

Again, I hear sound of "I would be bored to death by such forever life".... WTF?!

Do you really REALLY have nothing to do?
I am looking at these old persons, and plentiful of them are dead already, just eating food and drinking and breathing, but their mind is dead.
They just wait for death.. Thinking about it day long.. That's really sad.. So much opportunities in this world Universe, and they WANT to die.. That's fucking unbelievable how stupid can be humans.
Albert Einstein said "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe"
Here I can perfectly agree.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Sensei

[DrmDoc]

Really? Good lord, why? Even in an afterlife, why? Just sounds like hell to me.

[Delta1212]

Modifying your DNA, especially as an adult rather than in utero, is far more likely to give you cancer than it is to repair your organs. I think I'll pass.

[fredreload]

Modifying your DNA, especially as an adult rather than in utero, is far more likely to give you cancer than it is to repair your organs. I think I'll pass.

Cancer is just an error in manipulating DNA, if you fully understand the technology to control DNA then you could technically fix any cancer, speculating

How about 5th answer: by viruses?

That's the most typical way DNA are changed/modified on daily basis.

Virus attacking cell, is replacing/modifying DNA, to its own introduced.

So one can create virus which will replace your own DNA with your own DNA+some modifications.

 

Instead of fighting with virus/bacteria one can replace its own DNA, the all cells, with DNA with modifications disallowing these viruses/bacteria to attacking you.

 

Of course.

That should be the aim for every intelligent person.

That's what for believers pray in churches, to live after death.

So why not live "forever", prior death, if it never happens?

 

Again, I hear sound of "I would be bored to death by such forever life".... WTF?!

 

Do you really REALLY have nothing to do?

I am looking at these old persons, and plentiful of them are dead already, just eating food and drinking and breathing, but their mind is dead.

They just wait for death.. Thinking about it day long.. That's really sad.. So much opportunities in this world Universe, and they WANT to die.. That's fucking unbelievable how stupid can be humans.

Albert Einstein said "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe"

Here I can perfectly agree.

Hmm, one thing about virus is that it can't insert DNA at the correct place compares to crispr and accuracy is important. If there is a way control where virus insert the DNA I'd love to hear it

[fredreload]

[DrmDoc]

For you crazies who want to live forever, here's what it's like for a person purported to be 145 years old: Longest living human says he's ready for death. (This was posted to the Break DNA thread in error)

[fredreload]

For you crazies who want to live forever, here's what it's like for a person purported to be 145 years old: Longest living human says he's ready for death. (This was posted to the Break DNA thread in error)

Consider his health conditions, well, that's another story. Point is if I can stay 18 forever, I'd be partying right now

[Sensei]

Point is if I can stay 18 forever, I'd be partying right now

Now I see what for you need infinite life: forever and ever entertainment..

[fredreload]

Now I see what for you need infinite life: forever and ever entertainment..

Well, it is the ability to choose when you wish to continue on with the next life. And repair all damages, to feel young again

[Externet]

I do not care about the method how.

Just modify my DNA with some from a shark, to renew teeth when they go bad... And from a crab DNA, to regrow a limb if needed.

[Thorham]

Immortality and repair damaged organs, dream of humanity

Which, of course, will one day be achieved.

 

Do you really want to live forever?

Do you really want to die?

Edited August 31, 2016 by Thorham

[DrmDoc]

 

Do you really want to die?

 

Yes, of course I do...after a fashion. What value has life without death?

[Thorham]

Yes, of course I do...after a fashion. What value has life without death?

I'd rather ask: What's the value of death?

Edited August 31, 2016 by Thorham

[DrmDoc]

I'd rather ask: What's the value of death?

 

In a practical sense, conservation of limited resources and its contribution to resource renewal...life thrives on death. However, endless mornings, endless nights, the repetition, exhaustion and experience of every sensation of life ad nauseam, clearly the inherently mind numbing monotony eternal life offers is nothing more than living death, which is far less attractive to me than actual death.

[Thorham]

In a practical sense, conservation of limited resources and its contribution to resource renewal...life thrives on death.

I don't see how that's relevant. We seem to be doing a good job of not managing things already, so this seems more like a human mentality problem than anything else.

 

However, endless mornings, endless nights, the repetition, exhaustion and experience of every sensation of life ad nauseam, clearly the inherently mind numbing monotony eternal life offers is nothing more than living death, which is far less attractive to me than actual death.

That's certainly a nice and optimistic perspective As if times don't change and noting new ever happens. As if there's not something called mental development. Really, if I felt that way, I'd kill myself yesterday.

[DrmDoc]

I don't see how that's relevant. We seem to be doing a good job of not managing things already, so this seems more like a human mentality problem than anything else.

Being immortal doesn't necessarily mean we would cease being human in our thoughts, abilities, and desires. As an immortal, we would naturally want others to share that quality rather than continually suffer the heartbreak of outliving our friends and loved ones. Therefore, considering your question, I was thinking in plural rather than singular terms. You asked "What's the value of death?" In plural terms, a planet full of immortals with many being born daily would soon strip this planet of all the resources that make life worth living. As you have said, we're "doing a good job of not managing things already." The other value of death, as it is now, is as I've said in that death feeds life, which is likely the way it has been since our primordial beginning.

 

That's certainly a nice and optimistic perspective As if times don't change and noting new ever happens. As if there's not something called mental development. Really, if I felt that way, I'd kill myself yesterday.

I'm certain that even the thrill of "change" and something "new" would quickly lose their luster and appeal after several millennia. Like a fellow poster here once wrote, "there's only so many position in the Karma Sutra"

Edited September 1, 2016 by DrmDoc

[Thorham]

Being immortal doesn't necessarily mean we would cease being human in our thoughts, abilities, and desires.

 

That doesn't mean we can't develop away from the negative desires.

 

As an immortal, we would naturally want others to share that quality rather than continually suffer the heartbreak of outliving our friends and loved ones.

 

Says who? I want people to do whatever they want as long as they don't harm others. The heartbreak argument is just a cop-out. Sometimes life hurts. Deal with it, especially so because there are things much more awful than loosing loved ones. It's also not as if that happens every day anyway.

 

a planet full of immortals with many being born daily would soon strip this planet of all the resources that make life worth living.

Only if we're fools. We have to stop being idiots anyway, so that may not be a problem.

 

The other value of death, as it is now, is as I've said in that death feeds life, which is likely the way it has been since our primordial beginning.

 

Except for the fact that humans being taken out of the cycle won't matter one bit. It already doesn't matter that our bodies aren't left to rot in the wild environment. Not a big deal at all.

 

I'm certain that even the thrill of "change" and something "new" would quickly lose their luster and appeal after several millennia. Like a fellow poster here once wrote, "there's only so many position in the Karma Sutra"

I'm certain it doesn't. There's also more to existence than just new things.

 

In a thousand years we'll probably have replaced these meat sacks called bodies with something completely superior, and within a million years we'll probably be some kind of masters of the universe or something. I wouldn't miss it for the world if I had a choice.

[Sensei]

We have to stop being idiots anyway, so that may not be a problem.

There is one way to stop this: education, high quality education. For free.

 

Making museum-Noe ark with dinosaurs and telling people story that they lived together, it's exactly reverse direction, stupefying people...

[DrmDoc]

 

That doesn't mean we can't develop away from the negative desires.

Where our development may lead, no one can accurately predict. The only thing we may know for certain is what we were and what we are. Other than the rules of engagement, what we were socially and what we are have changed very little, in my opinion. Humanity will likely remain as driven to excess and violence by its divisive self-interests as it has been throughout history.

 

 

Says who? I want people to do whatever they want as long as they don't harm others. The heartbreak argument is just a cop-out. Sometimes life hurts. Deal with it, especially so because there are things much more awful than loosing loved ones. It's also not as if that happens every day anyway..

So, the mortality of your friends and loved ones would matter very little to you through the eons if you were immortal? It really doesn't matter that they share your immortality? That seems particularly callous, selfish, and unsympathetic, which would be very human for an immortal supposedly evolved beyond the negative.

 

 

Only if we're fools. We have to stop being idiots anyway, so that may not be a problem.

"Says who?" During the whole of human history, has that ever stopped being a problem? Even knowing we are idiots, has that ever clearly stopped idiocy among humanity? Indeed, it's foolish to speculate about what may be without considering the past and contemporary nature of humanity--a nature persistently damaging to our planet's resources (e.g., global warming).

 

 

Except for the fact that humans being taken out of the cycle won't matter one bit. It already doesn't matter that our bodies aren't left to rot in the wild environment. Not a big deal at all.

Yes, it does matter and its a big deal. This planet evolved a ecosystem particularly based on the cycle of life and death, which is why we presently have the resources we currently enjoy. Vault burials and embalming are acutely recent in our planet's history. Considering how we now benefit from the death of plants and animals millions of years ago, what we take from this world without returning in death will likely require several millennia to reveal its effects.

 

I'm certain it doesn't. There's also more to existence than just new things.

 

In a thousand years we'll probably have replaced these meat sacks called bodies with something completely superior, and within a million years we'll probably be some kind of masters of the universe or something. I wouldn't miss it for the world if I had a choice.

Indeed, there is more to life that just "new things"; however, change, which you associated with something new, is the very nature of life. Immortality would be unchanging, which assures nothing new and that's not the nature of life--in my opinion.

Edited September 1, 2016 by DrmDoc

[Thorham]

So, the mortality of your friends and loved ones would matter very little to you through the eons if you were immortal? It really doesn't matter that they share your immortality? That seems particularly callous, selfish, and unsympathetic, which would be very human for an immortal supposedly evolved beyond the negative.

I didn't say it matters little, I said that there are far worse things. A good example is slavery. And no, it doesn't matter if they don't want immortality. It would be their choice, and what's selfish is wanting them to be immortal just to spare you the pain of loss.

 

During the whole of human history, has that ever stopped being a problem?

Of course not, which is why we are where we are now. Doesn't mean it won't change.

 

Yes, it does matter and its a big deal. This planet evolved a ecosystem particularly based on the cycle of life and death, which is why we presently have the resources we currently enjoy. Vault burials and embalming are acutely recent in our planet's history. Considering how we now benefit from the death of plants and animals millions of years ago, what we take from this world without returning in death will likely require several millennia to reveal its effects.

 

I somehow doubt it matters at all. Anyway, it's no way to live, of course, and I think that there's probably a better way than this primitive and ridiculous life-death cycle.

 

Indeed, there is more to life that just "new things"; however, change, which you associated with something new, is the very nature of life. Immortality would be unchanging, which assures nothing new and that's not the nature of life--in my opinion.

If you want to be stuck in a primitive flesh body, then perhaps. We need to transcend the primitive life of this world. Change in a way that's just plain impossible for earth's biological organisms through evolution. Natural selection driven evolution may cause change, but it's slow, and not guided by any thought. It's surely something we can do without.

[DrmDoc]

I didn't say it matters little, I said that there are far worse things. A good example is slavery. And no, it doesn't matter if they don't want immortality. It would be their choice, and what's selfish is wanting them to be immortal just to spare you the pain of loss.

 

Do you have children? If not, perhaps that explains your position. In my opinion, it's not what we experience in isolation that makes life worth living, it what we experience with and through others who share our experience. Personally, I would endure the worst of life over the lost of those I loved. Wanting to be immortal without equally wanting immortal relationships with friends and family is the height of selfishness where only self persists and all others die. Why would anyone want to live forever knowing that they will outlive every person they would ever come to know and love? It would be like living among mayflies whose brief lives would be without consequence or importance, which would be an endlessly solitary and lonely existence. An immortal insensitive to pain of loss would likely cease being human and humane, which doesn't bode well for our planet. The people with whom we share history keep us connected to humanity and aware of our better nature. Therefore, relationships are essential even to an immortal being.

 

I somehow doubt it matters at all. Anyway, it's no way to live, of course, and I think that there's probably a better way than this primitive and ridiculous life-death cycle.

It isn't some primitive cycle, it's the continuum that has led to you, me, and the whole of humanity as complex, evolved, and dominant lifeforms. Immortality isn't life, it's stagnation.

 

 

If you want to be stuck in a primitive flesh body, then perhaps. We need to transcend the primitive life of this world. Change in a way that's just plain impossible for earth's biological organisms through evolution. Natural selection driven evolution may cause change, but it's slow, and not guided by any thought. It's surely something we can do without.

I think natural selection has done well by us thus far, so why rush? It still has a billion or so years to tweak humanity to perfection--that is if we don't ruin it by skewing with our DNA.