21st Century Earth

Human Longevity Will Not Become Greatly Extended

Leonard Hayflick

In the following viewpoint, excerpted from his book How and Why We Age, Leonard Hayflick argues that it will not be possible to achieve major increases in human longevity with existing or foreseeable medical technology. Hayflick asserts that the scientific objective should not be to slow or stop the aging process, but to strive for maximum human life expectation by eliminating the present leading causes of death, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Hayflick is a professor of anatomy at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Hayflick, what would be the economic impact of eliminating cancer and cardiovascular disease?
2. How long would it take to reach a maximum life span of 120 years, in Hayflick’s opinion?
3. What optimal scenario for increased aging does the author present"

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21st Century Earth article

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