----- Forwarded message from Premise Checker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -----
From: Premise Checker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 10:29:49 -0500 (EST)
To: Transhuman Tech <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
"World Transhumanist Ass." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [wta-talk] CHE Letter: (de Grey) A 'Fantasy' of Immortality
Reply-To: World Transhumanist Association Discussion List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
A 'Fantasy' of Immortality
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 5.12.2
http://chronicle.com/weekly/v52/i15/15a04302.htm
[This is completely negative, but I certainly can't judge the matter.]
To the Editor:
It is very sad to see The Chronicle featuring a story on Aubrey de
Grey, and compounding this mistake with an online chat with him
([3]"The Man Who Would Murder Death," October 28). The Chronicle might
note that it is only one in a long list of publications that has
written about Mr. de Grey; unfortunately, the story is typically
uncritical of his ideas. For example, he is described as "a serious,
thoughtful, sincere, prolific, even brilliant researcher." How do you
know? ... Whose expertise was used to decide?
In fact, much of what Aubrey de Grey has written is unscientific
speculation and outright fantasy; it should be obvious that this is
incompatible with the role of any legitimate researcher, much less a
serious or brilliant one. A few researchers, like Anthony Atala and
Graham Pawelec, appear to support de Grey's enthusiasm and his unusual
style, and possibly even his ideas. But style is not substance, and it
would be surprising if those few supporters in science had actually
read de Grey's writings. ... Those who have read and understood them
have passively allowed de Grey to peddle nonsense because, generally,
scientists do not respond to fanciful speculation. ...
However, the situation with de Grey is reaching a turning point, and
in the next few months many scientists will be publicly expressing
their thoughts on him and his Strategies for Engineered Negligible
Senescence. The gist of these thoughts is that SENS is not science, or
legitimate scholarship of any kind. One letter along those lines,
signed by over 20 eminent scientists, has already appeared in EMBO
reports. ...
Why are scientists taking this step with de Grey and not with most
cranks? Because of stories like the one in The Chronicle, which have
given him loads of publicity and a degree of respect that his
pseudoscientific prognostications cannot earn him. ...
De Grey made a bet that all 13 mitochondrial proteins would have been
successfully moved to the nucleus by October 2005. It is now November
2005, and this achievement has not been reported; in fact, virtually
no progress on this problem has been reported.
What can de Grey do about this? What blame should he share, since he
does not do any actual research, and progress on this problem is in
the hands of actual scientists? He is just a cheerleader who doesn't
understand and cannot do the science, so we cannot blame him that real
scientists did not fulfill his expectations, right?
But that is the primary problem with de Grey's speculations: Since he
neither understands how real scientific research is done nor does it
himself, he places the burden of scientific research and development
in the hands of people who are able to do these things, while he
simultaneously calls them ignorant and rejects their scientifically
sound belief that SENS is not legitimate science. ...
The long-term interests of The Chronicle would be well served if you
interviewed some actual researchers in gerontological research or
related fields, who represent real science and its prospects. Sorry,
we can't promise imminent biological immortality -- or vacation trips
to Pluto or back into time. We're scientists, not gods or wizards.
Preston (Pete) Estep III
President and Chief Executive Officer
Longenity Inc.
Waltham, Mass.
References
3. http://chronicle.com/weekly/v52/i10/10a01401.htm
[sent earlier]
_______________________________________________
wta-talk mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.transhumanism.org/mailman/listinfo/wta-talk
----- End forwarded message -----
--
Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org";>leitl</a>
______________________________________________________________
ICBM: 48.07100, 11.36820 http://www.leitl.org
8B29F6BE: 099D 78BA 2FD3 B014 B08A 7779 75B0 2443 8B29 F6BE
-------
To unsubscribe, change your address, or temporarily deactivate your
subscription,
please go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
signature.asc
Description: Digital signature
