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Mormon Transhumanist Association

March 7, 2011 /

Mormon Transhumanist Association

From the About page of the Mormon Transhumanist Association:

What is the Mormon Transhumanist Association?

The Mormon Transhumanist Association is an international nonprofit organization that promotes practical faith in human exaltation through charitable use of science and technology, as outlined in the Transhumanist Declaration and the Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation. We support discussion and public awareness of emerging technologies, defend the right of individuals in free and democratic societies to adopt technologies that expand human capacities, and anticipate and propose solutions for the potential consequences of emerging technologies. Although we are neither a religious organization nor affiliated with any religious organization, we support our members in their personal religious affiliations, and encourage them to adapt Transhumanism to their unique situations.

What is the relation between Mormonism and Transhumanism?

Increasingly, persons are recognizing parallels and complements between Mormon and Transhumanist views. On the one hand, Mormonism is a religious ideology of the Judeo-Christian tradition that advocates faith in God leading to salvation. On the other hand, Transhumanism is a mostly secular ideology that advocates ethical use of technology to extend human capabilities. However, Mormonism and Transhumanism advocate remarkably similar views of human nature and its future: material beings organized according to law, rapidly advancing knowledge and power, imminent fundamental changes to anatomy and environment, and eventual transcendence of present limitations. Resources available through this site provide details on the relation between Mormon and Transhumanist views.

Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation:

  1. We seek the spiritual and physical exaltation of individuals and their anatomies, as well as communities and their environments, according to their wills, desires and laws, to the extent they are not oppressive.
  2. We believe that scientific knowledge and technological power are among the means ordained of God to enable such exaltation, including realization of diverse prophetic visions of transfiguration, immortality, resurrection, renewal of this world, and the discovery and creation of worlds without end.
  3. We feel a duty to use science and technology according to wisdom and inspiration, to identify and prepare for risks and responsibilities associated with future advances, and to persuade others to do likewise.

(via Justin P)

Study Finds Relationships Help You Live Longer

July 30, 2010 /

No man is an island, and if he tries to be one, he may die sooner, according to a new BYU analysis.

Researchers have discovered that people with greater social relationships are 50 percent more likely to live longer than their socially reclusive counterparts.

In fact, a lack of friends is as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic. It’s also twice as damaging as obesity and more harmful than not exercising, according to the study.

“We’re not in any way trying to downplay the seriousness of these other risk factors, (which) are very important,” said author Julianne Holt-Lunstad, associate professor of psychology at BYU. “Rather, we’re trying to make the point that we need to start taking our social relationships just as seriously as we take these other factors.”

The researchers combed through thousands of studies since 1900 to find 148 that dealt with their research questions. Those studies asked more than 300,000 subjects about relationships and then tracked their health outcomes for an average of 7.5 years.

Deseret News: BYU study finds relationships help you live longer

(Via Theoretick)

This post rounds up previous posts on this subject.

A Healthy Lifestyle May Not Affect Your Longevity

May 25, 2010 /

Centenarians
Photo by edwardyanquen / CC

SCIENTISTS have discovered the “Methuselah” genes whose lucky carriers have a much improved chance of living to 100 even if they indulge in an unhealthy lifestyle.

The genes appear to protect people against the effects of smoking and bad diet and can also delay the onset of age-related illnesses such as cancer and heart disease by up to three decades.

No single gene is a guaranteed fountain of youth. Instead, the secret of longevity probably lies in having the right “suite” of genes, according to new studies of centenarians and their families. Such combinations are extremely rare — only one person in 10,000 reaches the age of 100.

Found: genes that let you live to 100

(via Dangerous Meme)

Also, an active social life beyond one’s own family contributes to one’s longevity, happiness, and intelligence in later life.

Dementia Caregivers More Likely to Also Get the Disease

May 18, 2010 /

older couple

Elderly people who care for a spouse who has dementia are at increased risk of developing dementia themselves, a study finds. The stress of attending to a mentally incapacitated spouse may somehow contribute to the added risk, scientists report in the May Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

sciencenewsPrevious studies have shown that chronic stress leads to increased levels of the hormone cortisol in the body, which can suppress immunity, says study co-author Peter Rabins, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore who teamed with researchers at Utah State University in Logan to do this study. “It’s long been thought that this might have adverse outcomes psychologically and physiologically.”

Taking care of a spouse with dementia takes a toll in other ways as well, Rabins says. “Caregivers often complain that they lose their friends,” he says, because they don’t have time to socialize. But the biological mechanisms that might link these challenges to heightened dementia risk remain unclear.

Wired Science: Dementia Caregivers More Likely to Also Get the Disease

Prior research on social life and aging:

Socializing Appears to Delay Memory Problems

Socializing Can Help Elderly Women Stay Sharp

The Effect of Social Engagement on Incident Dementia

To Increase Longevity, Friends Are More Important Than Family

It’s only logical: Keanu Reeves is immortal

October 27, 2009 /

(via Dangerous Minds)

Infant-Sized Teenager May Provide Key to Reversing the Aging Process

July 13, 2009 /

Brooke Greenberg looks like a toddler, but she is actually sixteen years old. She is only 30 inches high. Now scientists are studying her genome to figure out whether she possesses a mutation that prevents her body from aging.

Greenberg also possesses the mental capacity of an infant, and has never learned to speak or eat on her own.

She has also suffered from several strange maladies, including burst ulcers, a stroke and a brain tumor, which healed after Greenberg appeared on the verge of death.

It’s unclear whether her capacity to heal is related to her agelessness, but researchers hope to find out.

I09: Infant-Sized Teenager May Provide Key to Reversing the Aging Process

Thanks to Bill Whitcomb, who notes: ” Poor kid. Apart from having spent 16 years as toddler, she’ll NEVER get away from the doctors. She’s too interesting.”

What do the longest lived cultures in the world have in common?

April 7, 2009 /

Blue Zones is a project of Dan Buettner’s Quest Network, Inc that studies the regions of the world where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100 years. Scientists and demographers have classified these longevity hot-spots by their inhabitant’s uncanny ability to live longer, on average, than anyone else in the world. […]

Four Blue Zones have been discovered so far:

* Sardinia, Italy: One team of demographers found a hot spot of longevity in mountain villages where men reach the age of 100 years at an amazing rate.
* The islands of Okinawa, Japan: Another team examined a group that is among the longest lived on Earth.
* Loma Linda, California: Researchers studied a group of Seventh-day Adventists who rank among America’s longevity all-stars. Residents of these three places produce a high rate of centenarians, suffer a fraction of the diseases that commonly kill people in other parts of the developed world, and enjoy more healthy years of life. [1]
* Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: The Nicoya Peninsula was the subject of research on a Quest Network expedition which began on January 29th, 2007.[2]

The people inhabiting Blue Zones share common lifestyle characteristics that contribute to their longevity. Among the lifestyle characteristics shared among the Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda Blue Zones are the following:

* Family – Family is put ahead of other concerns.
* No Smoking – Centenarians do not typically smoke.
* Plant-Based Diet – The majority of food consumed is derived from plants.
* Constant Moderate Physical Activity – Moderate physical activity is an inseparable part of life.
* Social Engagement – People of all ages are socially active and integrated into their communities.
* Legumes – Legumes are commonly consumed.

Wikipedia: Blue Zones

(via Appropedia

Top Ten Life Extension Drugs

July 10, 2001 /

The Life Extension Foundation has posted its top ten life extension drugs. The number one drug? Asprin!

  • PIRACETAM
  • DHEA
  • VINPOCETINE-HYDERGINE
  • LIFE EXTENSION DRUG GH3 or K.H.3
  • CENTROPHENOXINE
  • PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE
  • DEPRENYL
  • ACETYL-L-CARNITINE
  • MELATONIN
  • ASPIRIN

(link via Memepool)

Laziness is Good for You

April 24, 2001 /

According to one research scientist too much excercise can lead to memory loss and premature senility (link via Barbelith Underground):

He added: “People who would rather laze in a hammock instead of running a marathon or who take a midday nap instead of playing squash have a better chance of living into old age.”

He said he was in favour of moderate exercise such as walking, but said excessive exertion was not recommended.

Middle-aged people should be wary of using up their energy on activity, he said.

Prof Axt said: “Research shows that people who run long distances into their 50s are using up energy they need for other purposes.”

He said they could suffer memory loss and risked premature senility.

Update: Axt has subsequently written a book called The Joy of Laziness. Judging by the Amazon reviews, it seems like his research is questionable.

Aspirin: The Wonder Drug

March 19, 2001 /

Conspiracy theorists may be familiar with the beliefs that aspirin may help ward off cancer and AIDS. Yahoo! Daily News is reporting that aspirin helped reduce the heart attack death rate over the past 20 years. Good stuff.

Update: Above link is dead, but here’s an American Heart Association article on aspirin and heart disease.

Update 2: Both links are working now.

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