[Cyph0n]

I think that cryogenic hibernation is a significantly easier way to achieve interplanetary travel.

Immortality -- to me at least -- doesn't seem like it will end up providing that many benefits to humanity as a whole. Population control will become much more difficult, unless all over-aged males are somehow forced to undergo a vasectomy. And I highly doubt that people living longer will lead to increased productivity. On the contrary, I think that people will rely on welfare more and more as they age, not because of health, but because of burnout. The obvious solution to this is the creation of a general AI that provides the majority of humans with unlimited income for life. But then, if everyone is rich, people will quickly get bored after experiencing everything they're interested in, making immortality essentially useless!

[euyyn]

It might be that I just don't follow the topic, but cryogenic hibernation sounds to me like just a science fiction idea with no real advancement ever having happened. Curing illnesses, instead, we do constantly and steadily. So the latter seems to me much more easier.

[Cyph0n]

I don't think curing illnesses is the same as extending life, but if it is I might agree with you.

[euyyn]

Well, so far curing and preventing illnesses is how we've extended life. There's room for an argument that, after we're done with all current major illnesses, we'll still have to solve the problem of debilitating aging to increase life further. But who knows if that's just pessimism.

Even if it's the case, we're also doing steady progress in the "make people more robust" department: orthopedics, transplants, pacemakers, better nutrition and supplements, better environmental health, ...

I guess it makes sense, because there's strong and continuous economic pressure to achieve those things, while there isn't a case (yet?) for getting to hibernation via baby steps.

[lawless123]

>But then, if everyone is rich, people will quickly get bored after experiencing everything they're interested in, making immortality essentially useless!

Says you.

[Cyph0n]

Yes, it's nothing but an opinion.