Increasing the Average Life Expectancy

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The average person in the United States lives to be approximately 77 years old. What if the average life expectancy could be increased to 112 years old? Many aspects of life could be improved because people could become very skilled at what they do. Through many scientists’ hard work and research they have reason to believe that it could actually be possible for the average life expectancy to reach 112 years of age (Than 1). However, with these scientists’ getting closer to figuring out the secrets of aging come many social, legal, and ethical issues. In this paper I will talk about two forms of life extending technology that are currently available, the social, legal, and ethical issues involving life extending technology, why I believe life extending technology is a negative right, and why I believe that medical scientists’ should continue researching life extending technology.

Currently medical scientists’ do not know the secrets of aging. However, there are a few ways that they have discovered could help you maintain a longer life. Through my research I discovered that there have been many studies done in which rodents have been fed 40 percent fewer calories as a result have lived 40 percent longer than normal. This process is known as caloric restriction (Than 1). Simply put you consume 40 percent less calories and it is quite possibly that your life could be 40 percent longer. This “caloric restriction” also postpones the onset of many degenerative diseases normally associated with aging (Than 1). If these effects could be replicated for humans, the average person could live to be 112 years and have a maximum life of 140 years. Another form of life extending research that I discovered while researching was a ...

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...logies because it could make the world a better place.

In conclusion, life extending technologies have many positives and many negatives. The social, legal, and ethical issues that revolve around this technology are examples of what could happen if medical scientist were to succeed in creating a life extending product. I do believe that people have the right if they choose to use life extending technology however, I disagree completely. What is the meaning of life if we can live forever? American physician Leon Kass said, “…the effect mortality has on our interest in and engagement with life. To number our days, Kass contends, "…is the condition for making them count and for treasuring and appreciating all that life brings." If life were to be extended many things would be taken for granted and the beauty of the world as we know it today would seize to exist.

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