[End The Hypocrisy]

Here's a question for the more scientifically sophisticated, and technologically tolerant Freepers: Might it be possible to clone one's self, and transfer one's brain's memory lobes to the new him or her, and essentially continue living through the cloned version? By transferring merely the memory lobes as opposed to the brainstem, paralysis conceivably wouldn't result. I've read in the past that memories can be transferred in this way, and since it's one's clone then I guess the risk of tissue rejection is greatly minimized. This all sounds feasible then, right? If so then I bet whichever biotech firm offers it (from a country where it can be offered) will make a bundle with the aging baby-boomers of the USA and Europe (etcetera). Folks not only seek immortality, they seek renewed youth.

Now let's up the ante a bit... Can the new version of one's self be genetically improved but STILL accept one's brain's memory lobe tissues withOUT organ rejection's likely occurrence? Or would even that slight genetic modification (to make one smarter, or more phyiscally "ideal", or whatever) greatly increase the risk of tissue rejection from the original donor human?

For those who might claim it's immoral to pursue something like this, should Christopher Reeve be forced to accept his plight? Meanwhile, without vastly extended lifespans, how else can traveling to the stars by humans be possible? Additionally, should those who are genetically predisposed to die of some hereditary disease be forced accept their fates, like those who lived before organ transplants existed were forced to do? Also, when a loved one is lost must it be forever?

I acknowledge that ethical dilemmas are presented by cloning technologies, but I think they can be resolved withOUT our abandoning this seemingly promising new technology. Other, competing countries will aggressively embrace this new technology even if we don't.

[End The Hypocrisy]

Forest Gump once said that "life's like a box of chocolates: you don't know WHAT you're gonna get."

Even for those who don't seek immortality, cloning seems to have the potential to help restore order to family life, for those who still want to have kids that is...

[dighton]

"Rascals, would you live for ever?"

-- Frederick the Great.

[drjoe]

except that there are no "memory lobes" the idea sounds real neat. The physical basis of memory is still totally unknown.

[drjoe]

except that there are no "memory lobes" the idea sounds real neat. The physical basis of memory is still totally unknown.

[genefromjersey]

Of course immortality is upon us : for the select , that is.

The Hillary Clintons of this world will demand to be cloned !

As ol' Willie Shakespeare had it : " The evil men do lives after them ."

[LouisianaLobster]

Might it be possible to clone one's self, and transfer one's brain's memory lobes to the new him or her, and essentially continue living through the cloned version?

Before you can transplant parts of an adult brain, the clone would have the grow up until he is adult right? Don't you think this person might have some objections when told that his brain is going to be removed and replaced by that of another person?

[mikegi]

Here's the exclusive first photo of the clone:

Doh! Looks like there was a mix up in the lab!

[Polybius]

Might it be possible to clone one's self, and transfer one's brain's memory lobes to the new him or her....

Nature has already produced clones and I am sure you have met several of them in your life. They are called "identical twins".

What you have to realize is that "cloning yourself" does not produce a "new you". Cloning yourself produces your "identical twin".

Your identical twin mave have your exact same DNA, it will look like you and will have the same inherited personality traits. However, your twin will be a separate individual with his own life, desires and goals. A lab cloned identical twin will also be raised quite differently from you. You were raised by your young parents in a certain time era that can never be reproduced again. The lab cloned twin will be raised by different parents in a different time with a different societal sub-culture than existed even 30 years ago. The result at age 20 may be quite different than you.

But, let's throw all moral and ethical considerations out the window and let's only consider the pure science of the transplant scenario........

Your body tissue is designed by nature to last a certain time and then wear out. The same applies to your brain. After your brain has been functioning so many decades, the cells begin to be lost, demyelinization begins to take place, small vessel atherosclerosis begins to take place resulting in micro-infarcts, etc, etc.

Let's assume that transplant art was advanced enough for such a transplant. Transplanting the "memory lobes" from such a brain merely puts "old as dirt" memory lobes that are dying of old age into a young healthy body. It's like transplanting a sick 85 year-old heart into a young healthy body. All you have guaranteed is that the rest of the body will not be the cause of death for the transplanted body part.

Let's assume that the 85 year-old billionaire has decided to transplant his memory lobes into the great looking 20 year-old body of the clone he has kept locked away in his lab for twenty years. Five years down the road, the old man's body will be dead, the old man's 20 year-old identical twin's mind would have been killed at surgery and the end result would be a good-looking 25 year-old man with a 90 year-old senile mind........and with 25 year-old hormonal urges.

It won't be a pretty sight.

[laredo44]

Here's a related question. When science creates artifically intelligent beings, like Data on Star Trek, the Next Generation, would you be willing to transfer your memories, etc. to such a host rather than die without doing so?

[pabianice]

We may have the distinction of belonging to the last generation to die of old age.

Happy New Year.

[RightWhale]

transfer one's brain's memory lobes

Memory might not be located in the lobes. Besides that, even with immortality, the average lifetime would be about 600 years anyway.

[YadaYada]

Do you guys actually believe this? Do you think God would allow this?

[Dakotabound]

Here's another thread with a philosophical bent on Raelianism and the media.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/812998/posts

[Old Professer]

Better yet, offer a selection of programs approved by the state; yeah, that's it, peace innertime.

[js1138]

The short answer to your question about memory transplants is ... no. Not only is it not currently possible, the question can't even be properly asked.

[k2blader]

Might it be possible to clone one's self, and transfer one's brain's memory lobes to the new him or her, and essentially continue living through the cloned version?

I rather like The 6th Day answer to this Q. ;-)

[Redcloak]

For those who might claim it's immoral to pursue something like this, should Christopher Reeve be forced to accept his plight?

And what of Reeve's twin brother (the clone)? Should he be forced to accept his plight as a source of spare parts?

[Porterville]

It is about damn time!!! I am tired of this whole death thing.

[danmar]

...Pandora's box has been opened...May GOD help us!

[unspun]

I was actually there when this clone was born. Funny thing: it was born with a thin layer of aluminum over its scalp.