Josh Mitteldorf recent video about “programmed aging”
“ Aging is not something that happens to us – it is an active function of the body. To evolutionary biologists, this is a surprise, maybe a shock. But there’s lots of diverse evidence that it’s true.
Once we know that aging is “on purpose”, we can devise strategies for slowing or even reversing aging. There are modest anti-aging strategies that anyone can adopt, and there is a dramatic new technology for rejuvenation, almost ready for human trials.
(An hour-long presentation from an iPAK seminar, Sept 2024)”
Notes: FALSE assumptions according to Josh
the body is doing its best to live as long as possible
natural is better since we evolved for it
the body is doing its best to be healthy. Lets support the body’s natural resilience.
This is worth watching. It’s a layman’s level presentation so it is accessible for everyone here.
Mitteldorf offers a different point of view from the more popular notions we hear about so often that “aging” starts to feel like it is a well understood science. It isn’t.
From Josh’s website
“Josh Mitteldorf studies evolutionary theory of aging using computer simulations. It may be that therapies to slow the progress of aging need not repair or regenerate anything, but only need to interfere with an existing program of self-destruction. He is an advocate for vigorous self care, including exercise, meditation and caloric restriction. After earning a PhD in astrophysicist, Mitteldorf moved to evolutionary biology as a primary field in 1996. He has taught at Harvard, Berkeley, Bryn Mawr, LaSalle and Temple University. He is presently affiliated with MIT as a visiting scholar.“
A different and beautiful perspective, yes, aging is actually a series of errors that are triggered indirectly even if it is not directly coded into our DNA. From this perspective, Mitteldorf is right, aging cannot be stopped only in a healthy and natural life. Active intervention is necessary in the aging process. For example, no matter how natural and healthy you live, mTOR, igf-1, mapk, etc. pathways will work non-stop, maybe slowly, but they work.
Optimizing present health is not promoting longevity. Interesting implications if this is indeed so. Also it is hard to imagine that human body as it is can be made to live longer ( reliably and in healthy state) than a couple of hundreds years even with better repair mechanisms etc. Brand new architecture is needed. If that’s what he is working on then it is an ultimate solution. The sooner the better.
The hacking aging group have had some good discussions on this.
It is clear that at times evolution which can be seen as a problem solving system selects for a shorter lifespan.
However, that does not mean that the purist programmed aging people such as Josh Middledorf are right. There are species where the body sets out to die, but with Homo Sapiens (and most species) it is a side effect that suits the species.
In the end a species where the grandparents compete with the grandchildren for food won’t survive.
