The problem of “old people will be close-minded and it will be harder for new ideas to gain a foothold” seems pretty inherent in abolishing death, and not just an implementation detail we can work around.
I think that the closed-mindedness of elderly people is more likely cultural than a biological fact of humanity. While the cliche runs that science progresses one death at a time, in my experience, old scientists usually have discarded and continue to discard great numbers of once-popular ideas. Science as a process gives people a mechanism for rejecting old ideas, and on the whole it’s pretty effective.
Lacking effective mechanisms for changing their mind, people in general do not need to get old in order to become closed-minded.
Really? It doesn’t seem to you like the program of studying cognitive biases, and finding ways to overcome them, can have any impact on this? What about the whole “modifying our minds” bit — enhancing our intelligence, and fixing cognitive glitches, in assorted biological and technological ways? That seems like it might have some effect, no?
I think the issue isn’t so much that old people are close minded compared to young and middle-aged people, as that young people are very open-,minded compared to middle-aged and old people.
Also, an advantage of aging and death is that the people at the top of hierarchies get changed.
I think the issue isn’t so much that old people are close minded compared to young and middle-aged people, as that young people are very open-,minded compared to middle-aged and old people.
Indeed. It seems like our goal should be to optimize the level of open-mindedness in everyone, appropriately for their status in society and other considerations.
Also, an advantage of aging and death is that the people at the top of hierarchies get changed.
Also true, however this is only an advantage insofar as otherwise, without death, the people at the top of hierarchies don’t get changed. It seems to me that our goal should be to avoid having hierarchies that work in such a fashion. Of course, that is a difficult project, but it’s not obvious to me that it’s an impossible one.
The problem of “old people will be close-minded and it will be harder for new ideas to gain a foothold” seems pretty inherent in abolishing death, and not just an implementation detail we can work around.
I think that the closed-mindedness of elderly people is more likely cultural than a biological fact of humanity. While the cliche runs that science progresses one death at a time, in my experience, old scientists usually have discarded and continue to discard great numbers of once-popular ideas. Science as a process gives people a mechanism for rejecting old ideas, and on the whole it’s pretty effective.
Lacking effective mechanisms for changing their mind, people in general do not need to get old in order to become closed-minded.
Really? It doesn’t seem to you like the program of studying cognitive biases, and finding ways to overcome them, can have any impact on this? What about the whole “modifying our minds” bit — enhancing our intelligence, and fixing cognitive glitches, in assorted biological and technological ways? That seems like it might have some effect, no?
I think the issue isn’t so much that old people are close minded compared to young and middle-aged people, as that young people are very open-,minded compared to middle-aged and old people.
Also, an advantage of aging and death is that the people at the top of hierarchies get changed.
Indeed. It seems like our goal should be to optimize the level of open-mindedness in everyone, appropriately for their status in society and other considerations.
Also true, however this is only an advantage insofar as otherwise, without death, the people at the top of hierarchies don’t get changed. It seems to me that our goal should be to avoid having hierarchies that work in such a fashion. Of course, that is a difficult project, but it’s not obvious to me that it’s an impossible one.
It has an impact. But it doesn’t invalidate the argument. Just move the balance a bit.