Can modern science really make a man immortal?

Recently, the magazine «Salon» has published an excerpt from the forthcoming book Adam Leith Golnera "Science, Faith and the magic of eternal life", in which he refers to the works of many scientists, examining the possibility of extending human life, and even achieve immortality. Golner wrote:

"These, at first glance, strange experiments give results that can affect our lives. Will the research breakthrough to immortality longevity? However, if you managed to increase the lifespan of roundworms, this does not mean that the same effect will be achieved with the people. Experiments with human cells in test tubes also do not give an objective picture ».



Golner argues that with all the interest of the people to this kind of experience, it is unlikely all expectations of researchers and potential customers "elixir of immortality" magically come true. He writes further:

"Research aimed at combating aging and death, often financed by large pharmaceutical companies. Cooperation at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology with large corporations may not seem the most convincing in terms of the science, but it is actively continuing the past two decades. Now it is difficult to imagine a serious scholar, non-company-giant. To raise funds, even the most respected researchers often make loud statements not confirmed by scientific data. Anti-Ageing - too commercially profitable activity, so you can carelessly believe all the "sensational discovery".



Ideas about eternal life is not new. More in XIX-th century, John Stuart Mill wrote that there was no evidence against the immortality of the soul, except that there is no evidence that this is possible. The promise of immortality has always been a powerful tool for influencing people. For example, the precursor Mill, David Hume examines the concept of the afterlife as a hoax in order to obtain wealth and power. According to him, the hype around the immortality artificially heated, and the use of people's fear of death can bring good profit ».

Most of doubt Golnera really justified, but still he does not weighty arguments against the idea of ​​prolonging life is often limited to only a mockery of the researchers conducting experiments "under the wing" of large companies.

via factroom.ru