X-Message-Number: 5322
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 1995 06:31:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: life extension versus DNA

     I have always wondered why the life extension movement has not
 ALREADY succeeded in its aims. Why have not funds sufficient to determine
 the cause of aging ALREADY been spent? Why has reversible
 cryopreservation not ALREADY been perfected? In a recent talk with some
 of my coworkers I was astonished when EVERYONE (except myself) complained
 about being depressed. Why has not something been done about this
 ALREADY? Don't people want to live, instead of merely existing? Nothing
 it seems could be more basic than health and happiness. Yet few seem to
 have made any significant efforts to acheive this. Why is this so? Here's
 an answer: 
     The November 1995 issue of Scientific American contained an article
 entitled "God's Utility Function" by Richard Dawkins. On might think
 based on the title that this article was an uplifting ode to the
 fundamental importance of man's place in the cosmos. Richard however does
 not worship at the altar of irrationality as most people seem to do. 
 Instead he gives a reason why most people seem to ignore their own desire
 for health and happiness. 
      Quote "Humans have always wondered about the meaning of life. 
 According to the author, life has no higher purpose than to perpetuate
 the survival of DNA." According to Richard we are, like all animals mere
 survival machines, engineered by natural selection to propagate DNA. As
 to why we age he has this sobering reminder: "One way multicellular
 organisms maximize DNA survival is by wasting little energy on ensuring
 that organs survive indefinitely." As to why animals such as man tend to
 be unhappy Richard offers the following comfort: "So long as DNA is
 passed on, it does not matter who or what gets hurt in the process. Genes
 don't care about suffering, because they don't care about anything." He
 ends by saying: "DNA neither cares nor knows. DNA just is. And we dance
 to its music." 
     This strikes me as being a plausible explanation for why most humans
 are not rationally selfish enough to care much about their own health and
 happiness. The dominant motivations for most seems to be primarily to
 care and nuture their own replacements. It is understandible why most
 people work hours that are needlessly long. It is understandible why most
 people seem to be on an emotional rollercoaster till an acceptible spouse
 has been obtained. It is understandible why most people believe that
 their unselfish sacrificial behaviour will have its own reward in some
 hypothetical nonexistent afterlife. The devilish DNA is laughing all long
 at what fools we mortals must be. 
     Still to give the devil his due I do not think we would have any
 desires at all, much less a desire for personal health and happiness,
 without that greedy DNA. So we are not entirely at odds with our
 biological master. In doing its bidding we also serve ourselves. Humans
 however seem to be the only species that possesses the capacity to see
 some of the tricks DNA can pull. One can only ask that such intelligence
 that exists be utilized to see through the games our biological heritage
 can play and refuse to particpate where our personal best interests are
 violated. 
     The idea that health and happiness are desirable is a self
 reproducing thought with a clear survival advantage. Only in humans does
 the intelligence exist where a real battle can now be joined with the
 ultimate master DNA. Let the war begin. 


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