An interview with Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston, author of the book 'The Future Loves You: How and Why We Should Abolish Death'. We begin by discussing how best to define death, focusing on the idea of death as the permanent disruption of psychological identity, and how such identity is constituted by our personality, desires, and memories. We then consider the science of brain preservation, including the recently-developed technique of Aldehyde-Stabilized Cryopreservation, and how it could be used to indefinitely preserve the brain structure that encodes or personal identity. Ariel argues that such a preserved brain could potentially be used to construct a digital simulation of our brains, essentially allowing us to survive the biological death of our bodies. We conclude by considering some potential challenges of implementign such a technology, and whether it would achieve widespread social acceptance.

Ariel's book:

The Future Loves You: How and Why We Should Abolish Death

Turning Fate into Choice: Patient Self-Determination and Life Extension

More on brain preservation:

A case for developing Aldehyde Stabilized Cryopreservation into a medical procedure

How much protein structure loss is there following glutaraldehyde crosslinking?

Large Mammal BPF Prize Winning Announcement

Mapping the Drosophila brain:

The connectome of an insect brain | Science

A review of the science between the metabolic syndrome, including discussion of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. We discuss the pathophysiology of how enlargement of adipocytes disrupts metabolic signalling pathways and leads to buildup of lipid intermediates. We then consider how these effects impair health, examining the causes of insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, and dysregulation of blood pressure. We conclude by looking at how such symptoms lead to pathology and increased mortality in overweight and obese individuals. Recommended prelistening is Episode 151: Diet and Nutrition, and Episode 18: Biochemistry Basics.

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An introduction to human nutrition, in which we discuss the nutritional importance and role of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, before considering the effects of malnutrition, how it is measured, and its prevalence around the world. We conclude with an analysis of basal metabolic rate, reviewing evidence concerning its variability across persons and factors that affect it. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 18: Biochemistry Basics

If you enjoyed the podcast please consider supporting the show by making a PayPal donation or becoming a Patreon supporter.

https://www.patreon.com/jamesfodor

https://www.paypal.me/ScienceofEverything