This was another summer reading. Quite interesting because the author takes ageing as an illness and not as the last part of life.
I have come to realise that yes, we live longer, but not healthier… and I think there is an interest for that so you are hook to some medicines (always business). Personally, I dont see the point to be old and not being able to do anything for myself. Even worse, when your brain starts to fail… you dont even notice.
The first part is mainly the research and why the author says ageing is an illness. If shows how organism have evolved based on reproduction and repair. He explains it as “The Information theory of ageing” The DNA is digital but then the building process are analogical and that is where the information leaks and the problems starts. I can’t really explain all the biological details but it is an interesting theory.
How to live longer? He recommends many things, from fasting, eating less meat, exercise, cold/hot endeavours, avoid toxic materials and obviously there are pills you can take. To be honest all the recommendations look nothing special, I think they are sane, and is something good because everybody can do it.
The last part is the ethical / philosophical part. This is the hardest because that changes may things in our world. There will be more people (we need to produce more food! consumption – capitalism), people will work longer so less opportunities for young generations, politically we will be in a much more conservative (politically – super-rich want to stay…) world, how religion will handle people leave longer?, how people will handle to live so long?, will people want to die? It is interesting.
The author wants goverments to fund research in ageing because that can have more benefits and will solve problems like cancer or brain illnesses.