http://www.nbc12.com/story/14655051/steven-seagal-asks-for-russian-pm-vladimir-putins-support-in-immortality-research
QuoteSteven Seagal Asks For Russian PM Vladimir Putin's Support in Immortality Research
Information contained on this page is provided by companies via press release distributed through PR Newswire, an independent third-party content provider. PR Newswire, WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.
SOURCE Russia 2045
MOSCOW, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned actor and martial artist Steven Seagal has written an open letter to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, asking the Prime Minister's support of the "Russia 2045" movement that aims to make Russia the center of immortality and artificial body research. According to Seagal, "Russia 2045," by using and developing new technologies, hopes to significantly improve the quality of life and make humans immortal by the year 2045.
"Not so long ago, I learned from my Russian friends about the 'Russia 2045' social movement, and I decided to join it," says Seagal, who has Russian roots and "considers himself Russian." "... I am extremely proud this technology has been discovered in Russia and that it has been propagated in Russia, with some of the greatest Russian doctors and scientists in the world. In bringing this technology into the forefront of the world, surely we as a human race will make incredible leaps and bounds ensuring a new and better quality of life," adds Seagal.
"I am appealing to you, hoping that we may have the opportunity for a mutually beneficial enterprise making the world a better place," Steven says. "It seems as through now you are placing more emphasis on life expectancy and life extension issues. I can see that you are actively working hard on coming up with solutions that lead Russia into the future confidently."
Steven Seagal has met Vladimir Putin in Russia and considers him "a prominent world leader" and hopes for his response. The "Russia 2045" movement was founded in 2011 in Moscow by the ground of prominent scientists. They intend to combine all existing groundbreaking medical technologies and develop new ones in order to produce artificial human body and, eventually, allow humans to reach immortality.
The complete open letter to Vladimir Putin is available at http://www.scribd.com/doc/55559143/Letter-to-Putin.
Steven Seagal is an American film star and martial artist. He is also producer, film director, and writer. Additionally, he is a Buddhist and actively involved in charity. In February 1997, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche recognized Steven Seagal as Tulku Rinpoche, and as the reincarnation of Terton Chungdrag Dorje, who lived in the XVII century.
"Russia 2045" was founded by Dmitry Itskov, president of New Media Stars, in February of 2011 with the participation of leading Russian specialists in the fields of neural interfaces, artificial organs, and systems. Its major goal is creation of an artificial body, while the intermediate goal is to create various artificial organs, and life expectancy extension. Fore more information, please visit www.2045.com.
This seems to be real, at least the multiple outlets that have the story think it is legit.
Steven Seagal and Vlad Putin working together with Russian scientists on the secret of human immortality. :hmm: Seems reasonable.
He considers himself russian? I thought he was deputized to help defend our border? Why would a russian want to be responsible for defending our border, unless....
Quote from: sbr on May 17, 2011, 07:20:41 PM
This seems to be real, at least the multiple outlets that have the story think it is legit.
Steven Seagal and Vlad Putin working together with Russian scientists on the secret of human immortality. :hmm: Seems reasonable.
It's not like radical life extension is a particularly far-fetched idea.
I just need to stay alive for 34 more years.
Help me Vladimir Putin. You're my only hope.
Quote from: Ideologue on May 17, 2011, 10:01:00 PM
It's not like radical life extension is a particularly far-fetched idea.
It's an idea that's totally evil though.
Quote from: Neil on May 17, 2011, 10:13:32 PM
It's an idea that's totally evil though.
Ide, Steven Seagal, Vladimir Putin, and I will toast to your memory two hundred years from now.
Quote from: Neil on May 17, 2011, 10:13:32 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on May 17, 2011, 10:01:00 PM
It's not like radical life extension is a particularly far-fetched idea.
It's an idea that's totally evil though.
Most of the flaws of human character are rooted in our fragility. Immortality and associated human reengineering would change human behavior in profound ways, and probably much for the better.
And, in the worst comes to worst, we can always make the Brutals exterminate one another with only a moderate investment and pithy sloganeering.
Quote from: Ideologue on May 17, 2011, 10:22:02 PM
Quote from: Neil on May 17, 2011, 10:13:32 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on May 17, 2011, 10:01:00 PM
It's not like radical life extension is a particularly far-fetched idea.
It's an idea that's totally evil though.
Most of the flaws of human character are rooted in our fragility. Immortality and associated human reengineering would change human behavior in profound ways, and probably much for the better.
And, in the worst comes to worst, we can always make the Brutals exterminate one another with only a moderate investment and pithy sloganeering.
The destruction of enormous swathes of humanity is neccessary. Immortality is an impediment to that.
The human brain, like all our other organs, isn't designed to last very long. And if it gets replaced, how are we still us?
There's limited space and resources on Earth as it is, if we become unaging then that problem will quickly get so much worse that it will lead to civilization ending conflict.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 17, 2011, 10:52:24 PM
There's limited space and resources on Earth as it is, if we become unaging then that problem will quickly get so much worse that it will lead to civilization ending conflict.
Needs maps. :contract:
Quote from: grumbler on May 17, 2011, 11:16:18 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 17, 2011, 10:52:24 PM
There's limited space and resources on Earth as it is, if we become unaging then that problem will quickly get so much worse that it will lead to civilization ending conflict.
Needs maps. :contract:
Map will be completely blank because civilization will be destroyed.
Civilization may be destroyed, but humanity won't. Surely some omniscient cartographer could show where everyone is. :D
Being immortal is wonderful, but it is equally important to be immortal and at least somewhat functional.
Quote from: sbr on May 17, 2011, 07:20:41 PM
Steven Seagal and Vlad Putin working together with Russian scientists on the secret of human immortality. :hmm: Seems reasonable.
What could possibly go wrong! :D
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on May 17, 2011, 10:29:50 PM
The human brain, like all our other organs, isn't designed to last very long. And if it gets replaced, how are we still us?
You lack imagination.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on May 17, 2011, 10:29:50 PM
The human brain, like all our other organs, isn't designed to last very long. And if it gets replaced, how are we still us?
Every neuron is unlikely to be replaced all at once. If even 10% of your memory-encoding flesh was replaced every year, external memory (cybernetic systems ranging from electronic human memory storage, if possible, to more prosaic devices like a simple diary) would certainly provide enough continuity to establish identity between the current clump of matter and the previous one.
And in any event, it may be possible in principle to replace damaged memory encoding with not just functional neurons but identically structured neurons, faithfully reproducing the original memory trace so that even faded memory wouldn't be an objection.
Yes but that would be a copy
Quote from: Ideologue on May 18, 2011, 02:00:54 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on May 17, 2011, 10:29:50 PM
The human brain, like all our other organs, isn't designed to last very long. And if it gets replaced, how are we still us?
Every neuron is unlikely to be replaced all at once. If even 10% of your memory-encoding flesh was replaced every year, external memory (cybernetic systems ranging from electronic human memory storage, if possible, to more prosaic devices like a simple diary) would certainly provide enough continuity to establish identity between the current clump of matter and the previous one.
And in any event, it may be possible in principle to replace damaged memory encoding with not just functional neurons but identically structured neurons, faithfully reproducing the original memory trace so that even faded memory wouldn't be an objection.
The issue is far more convoluted than that.
Quote from: Tamas on May 18, 2011, 02:02:25 AM
Yes but that would be a copy
So? People are mostly copy anyway.
Quote from: SlargosThe issue is far more convoluted than that.
In what fashion?
Quote from: Ideologue on May 18, 2011, 02:17:40 AM
Quote from: Tamas on May 18, 2011, 02:02:25 AM
Yes but that would be a copy
So? People are mostly copy anyway.
Quote from: SlargosThe issue is far more convoluted than that.
In what fashion?
Are you unaware of the controversy surrounding Teleportation [which in the matter of brain replacement would be analogous], the "Soul" and Self? Or have you simply already made up your mind?
Quote from: Slargos on May 18, 2011, 02:26:24 AM
Quote from: Ideologue on May 18, 2011, 02:17:40 AM
Quote from: Tamas on May 18, 2011, 02:02:25 AM
Yes but that would be a copy
So? People are mostly copy anyway.
Quote from: SlargosThe issue is far more convoluted than that.
In what fashion?
Are you unaware of the controversy surrounding Teleportation [which in the matter of brain replacement would be analogous], the "Soul" and Self? Or have you simply already made up your mind?
No, I'm aware. I just wasn't sure if you were attacking the possibility of rebuilding neurons or--as has now been made clear--the ontological problem of identity.
I've made up my mind pretty well on that. Identity does not really exist. Take for example, reading this very sentence. After reading this sentence, your brain will be in a different state than it was before it began. Given the ubiquity of change, can we really ascribe absolute identity to anything? We identify humans with their previous states only as a practical matter. They are never
really the same people from year to year, or moment to moment, and neither are we.
As for the ineffable soul, or self, it is a fleeting thing, which anyone can demonstrate to themselves just by being conscious: how much are you aware of
right now? That moment constitutes a physical limit to your "soul." The continuity we feel is an illusion, although a useful one based on similarity, ongoing processes, and access to memory images of previous conscious experience.
So the brain is no different than Theseus' ship: we can, in principle, rebuild it with enough exactitude to pass our practical test of identity.
I regard the teleportation problem as a false problem. We effectively teleport from moment to moment already. It's weird and interesting to think of a death/rebirth cycle moving at several hundred hertz, but it's of no practical importance.
A satisfying answer, even if I'm not necessarily in agreement. :hmm:
Edit: Although It's a very useful principle to apply to people, given that the function is while the building blocks of flesh and bone are replacable and as such any individual block is useless in itself other than as it fullfills the function. :hmm: