Most of the information in this site is dedicated
to life-extension science - i.e., the many issues that relate to health,
disease prevention, curative medicine, and the control of ageing. However,
life-extension entails much more than just the technology. Indeed, it could
be argued that the most important issues are not the science, itself, but
rather its implications.
First, in this regard, whether or not life-extension
science has any meaning to a particular individual will depend largely
on one's philosophy about self and life in general. In many important ways,
life-extension is a philosophy more than it is a technology; and it will
have meaning to those who value the extension of self - i.e., those who
appreciate oneself, aspire toward the improvement of the human condition,
have a futuristic perspective, enjoy an important challenge and big opportunity,
etc., all of which pertain to personal values or philosophy. Further, any
major technological innovation forces philosophical change by having consequences
in terms of society, personal psychology, economics, ecology, religions,
etc. And because life-extension will (in fact, is already) so dramatically
alter the fundamental existential paradigm, it will probably have much
greater impact on the entire spectrum of human enterprise than any previous
technology in history. In general, successful adaptation to change and
taking advantage of the new opportunities which it causes requires that
a person be philosophically primed for multiple contingencies and their
broader implications. In truth, it probably is best to not pursue life-extension
technology unless one does so within a holistic and philosophical context;
but, in any case, that is the way we choose to approach the subject, here.
Science and Philosophy are usually considered
as separate subjects; but this is a big mistake, per se and per
quod. It is a mistake, per se, because the two are in
fact not separable - science being one type of philosophy. And it is a
mistake, per quod, because of the following reasons. Philosophy
is about such things as truth, meaning, and purpose; but without a Science
there is no way of validating those criteria, and Philosophy becomes either
ineffectual or, potentially, a tool for tyranny. Conversely, Science is
about being objective and effectual; but without a Philosophy, it is chaotic,
potentially dangerous, and can also be used as a tool for tyranny.
Life-extension necessarily entails that science
and philosophy be treated as integral; and here we will use the idea of
infinite survival as an ultimate philosophical goal, to be pursued within
a scientific methodology, in service of the individual, with an emphasis
on life-extension technology, and, more broadly, as applied to the various
realms of existence. That represents a composite statement of the philosophy
and its applications, which are symbolically represented in the logo below.