Eunuchs and life extension

N.BOSTROM@lse.ac.uk
Tue, 27 May 97 18:09:46 GMT

Here is a curious fact: Eunuchs live on average 13.5 years
longer than other men! This suggests the most powerful life
extension technique available to date, at least for half of
us...

Does anybody know whether this effect is wholly due to the
reduced levels of activity and stress in eunuchs, or is
there also a more direct influence from the modified hormone
balance that is not behaviourally mediated. If there is,
might this effect be somehow reproduced without the adverse
effects of castration?


On a different note, I have just launched a new web site
which is intended to accomodate work-in-progress and
finished papers on transhumanism and analytic philosophy
etc.

http://www.hedweb.com/nickb

Of special interest to readers of this list may be the
sections about the Fermi Paradox, Superintelligence and
Social attractions in "Predictions from Philosophy" and also
the document named "Transhumanist Thoughts". A big paper on
the Carter-Leslie Doomsday argument is forthcomming.

Nicholas Bostrom
n.bostrom@lse.ac.uk