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This page belongs to an earlier version of Life+. My more recent framework is set out in My path towards Life Engine.

LABORATORY/LIFE+/Anchor

The Anchor: Extending Life and Its Quality

For me, extending life matters only alongside preserving its quality, autonomy and the ability to act. This is one of my central long-term projects, not an abstract wish to live a little longer. The seven principles below explain how I think about it.

§ 01

Seven principles

LE.01 - LE.07
LE.01Radically extending the time we have
Overcoming the biological limit is not a separate end in itself; I see it as a prerequisite for what comes next. Without more time, many greater ambitions remain out of reach: a human lifetime is simply too short to pursue them fully.
LE.02Preserving health and functional ability
A longer life should remain a full life, rather than a prolonged decline. Longevity without the ability to function would offer little of the benefit I am seeking.
LE.03Addressing ageing
I regard ageing as a problem for medicine and engineering to investigate, rather than an unavoidable destiny to be accepted without question. The ambition is to understand and intervene in biological processes.
LE.04Preserving consciousness and cognitive capacity
Memory, identity, clear thought and the capacity to learn are at the heart of being an active subject. Extending the body's life without these capacities would lose much of its meaning.
LE.05Autonomy and the ability to act
The point of a longer life is the continued ability to choose, influence events and develop, not merely to remain present. Autonomy means remaining the author of one's own decisions.
LE.06Accumulating experience and expertise
A longer life could support a depth of experience that a shorter one cannot: several demanding professions, a sustained scientific career and extended technological projects.
LE.07Pursuing a further order of goals
If the constraints of the body and mind can be eased, a wider set of goals comes into view: understanding the universe, extending human capabilities and exploring new forms of individual development.
§ 02

What follows

how the ideas connect

These principles depend on one another: first, preserve time, quality of life and the capacity for independent decisions (LE.01-LE.05). Then use the longer horizon to develop expertise (LE.06) and pursue further goals (LE.07). This line of thought continues in my philosophy, decision filters and Life OS. The modes are intended to support that same trajectory.