Late Adulthood Essay 

Abstract

This paper explores the issue of biological ageing which is considered to be one of the acute issues faced by our society. Aubrey de Grey claims that ageing is a curable disease. Ageing should be cured because the positive consequences of delayed ageing would outweigh the negative ones. Our society should be focused on combating biological ageing through the use of new innovative technologies. There is a need for providing greater investment in research aimed at delaying ageing in order to prevent age-related chronic diseases, extend lifespan and significantly improve public health.Late Adulthood Essay Example Paper

In the YouTube video “Seeking Immortality”, Cambridge researcher and biologist Aubrey de Grey argues that ageing is not a time dependent process caused by the loss of physiological adaptability, when a human body is unable to adapt to or deal with environmental stresses, but ageing is  merely a curable disease. He says, “Humans age in seven basic ways, all of which can be averted” (TEDx Talks, 2014). The biologist’s claim that ageing is a problem society needs to address is valid. Our society should be able to respond to the challenges faced by people of any age, including the elderly. This requirement is based on recognition of social responsibility. Biological ageing is a burden for our society for a number of reasons. First of all, biological ageing leads to an individual’s inability to perform the key duties and obligations, such as employment duties, family obligations, etc. This creates additional losses for our society, such as the use of social services, health care services, etc. Secondly, biological ageing is a burden for our society because it requires financial investments in medication to treat various diseases, including dementia, cancer, diabetes and others. It stands to reason that ageing leads to sickness and disability. It is obvious that any disease increases human suffering. Hence, combating ageing should be the key goal of our society. It is crucial to agree with  Aubrey de Grey that ageing should be cured because the positive consequences of delayed ageing would outweigh the negative ones.Late Adulthood Essay Example Paper

Undoubtedly, there is a need for developing effective strategies to defeat biological ageing. In the video “Seeking Immortality”, Aubrey claims that he has developed a roadmap to combat biological ageing. It is known that many developed companies have already implemented a number of  innovative technologies to stop biological ageing, such anti-ageing creams, hair dyes and surgery. It is possible to extend human lifespans through reduction of the prevalence of serious diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and HIV/AIDS. If biological ageing is slowed, human beings will be able to avoid or delay the onset and progression of many fatal diseases. This fact means that human beings will be healthier and stronger (Goldman et al., 2013). Some other innovative methods aimed at delaying ageing include genetic methods and low-calorie diets (Goldman et al., 2013).