Bharat Ek Soch: The world’s population is currently over eight billion, so it’s no surprise that human perspectives on life and death would vary. Broadly, there are three types of people based on how they perceive the meaning of life and its purpose. First, those who wish to live longer on this earth and enjoy the comforts and luxuries of life, along with fame and recognition. Secondly, those who are tired of the daily hustle and challenges and do not wish to maximize their time on earth. Finally, those who see every moment of life as a trust of the universe and want to perish while playing their role on earth. For such people, death is not the end of life but a completion. But, amid these, one undeniable truth is that most people want to become immortal forever.
Is It Possible To Avoid Death?
Notably, the doctors and scientists are working relentlessly to challenge the laws of nature. Modern science is rapidly committed to working in that direction, in which people can escape the cycle of death. This simply means that the date and time of a person’s birth will be fixed, but death will depend on their desire to live longer or not. Another reality is that generative AI is defining death, memory, and immortality with a fresh perspective.
Let’s try to understand whether immortality is merely a human imagination or is it really possible to avoid death? But the major questions that arise here are: Will science advance to the point that a person will decide the time of their death by themselves? Will it be possible to avoid diseases that occur with age? How many years in a span of life can be increased with technology’s help? What will happen to an individual’s virtual life post their death? Who will be the owner of his/her digital property upon his passing? Today, we will try to find answers to all such questions through our special program – Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
“People Will Not Die In The Next 25 Years“
A renowned futurist from Britain, Ian Pearson, made a shocking prediction some time back. He estimates that people will not die in the next 25 years. They will become immortal by uploading their brains into computers or robotic bodies. According to him, this will be possible due to the rapid progress in computing, genetic engineering, and robotics. Similarly, a famous American computer scientist and author, Ray Kurzweil, has claimed that by 2030, humans will become immortal. His predictions have often turned out to be accurate. He proclaims that with the help of age-reversing nanobots, humans will be able to save their cells from being destroyed – this, too, is being referred to as immortality.
Let’s first try to understand how scientists and doctors view the idea of a human being becoming immortal.
Nanobots Will Be Set In The Human Body
Swedish-American Physicist Max Tegmark has a 2017 non-fiction book named Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Life 3.0 divides life into three parts. First, bacterial life, in which evolving creatures are kept. The second part discusses progressive humans. In the third part, humans are described as more technical than biological. In this, we will treat machines as our body parts. Currently, humans are undergoing the third phase of the development of life. For example, if the heart isn’t functioning, then life continues through an artificial heart, i.e. pacemaker. In such a situation, in the coming days, such nanobots can be set in the human body, which will stop the aging of the body or postpone it for some time.
Much Of The Population Lives In The Virtual World
Let’s walk down memory lane. It was the month of June and in the year 2022, Holocaust campaigner Marina Smith passed away at the age of 87. Her family members and close ones gathered for her funeral in Nottingham, UK. When people arrived, they were shocked to see Marina talking to family and friends. It was no less than a miracle. But here’s the twist! A company called StoryFile had brought her digitally alive using AI-powered ‘Holographic’ video technology.
Notably, Technology is becoming so advanced that a method is being discovered that connects to the near and dear ones even after they have died. Today, a significant portion of the world exists in the virtual world. In such a situation, the questions that arise are: What will happen to a person’s virtual life after his physical body is destroyed? Who will be the owner of his digital accounts? Can digital accounts also be mentioned in the will in the future?
Memories Strengthen Emotional Attachments
Memories are priceless. They connect the past to the present and strengthen emotional attachments. The Egyptian pyramids, which have existed for approximately 4,500 years, testify to this. Pharaohs built pyramids to preserve their heritage. Similarly, there are many ancient temples in India, which have played the role of flag bearers in the development of society. Whether it is Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi or the Taj Mahal in Agra, the structures tell the immortal story of the glory, love, and craftsmanship of the Mughal Sultanate.
The digital world has given every person the opportunity to cherish stories that are much richer and more inclusive than these pillars of history. In today’s digital era, there are countless such personalities and their thoughts, which can influence the world even after their departure.
The digital world has allowed everyone to cherish stories that are much richer and more inclusive than these fragments of history. With the help of science and technology, the average age of humans can increase by 20 years to 50 years, but the chances of a person becoming digitally immortal are high. But, has it ever occurred to your mind what will happen if humans become immortal or if the life expectancy increases from 70 years to 140 years?
Ongoing Experiments Aims To Prolong Life
Most people on Earth indeed think that ‘Zindagi na milegi dobara’. New innovative efforts are underway to prolong life with the help of machines. Research is being conducted across the world regarding anti-aging and Reverse Aging. However, the bitter truth is that the battle to defeat age has started distancing humans from life itself. People have started forgetting the real essence of life, that life should not be long, but big. It is often asked whether a person’s digital life will also end with their death, or will science progress so much that people will show special interest in keeping their near & dear alive digitally?
It is mentioned in the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita that the body of a person dies, not the soul. Therefore, in Indian culture, more emphasis has been given on good deeds than on the long life of a person. It is quite possible that in the coming years, science will progress so much that the current age of a person doubles, but becoming immortal forever seems to be a distant dream.
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