Keramachi
11-19-2005, 09:43 PM
Before I get started, I will say this. This is not a "Would you want immortality?" topic. This covers how immortality would apply in the physical world.
There are the basics, of course. A lack of death and in most cases, age. However, following standard physiology, an immortal would not need sleep. Without sleep, the body dies. But removing death from the equation means sleep is useless. An immortal would never tire out, or become exhausted. Also, it would be impossible to render them unconscious. The body lapses into that state because the brain cannot take the stress of dealing with the pain and analyzing anything based on the conscious mind and senses. If it were to continue, the nerve system would collapse and the person would die.
Other questions remain unanswered. (bear in mind my answers are only specualtion)
-Would an immortal be able to be psychosomatic?
I would say yes, because the body, regardless of its outward invulnerabilities, is deeply affected by the mind. Keeping that in mind...
-What happens when an immortal loses the will to live?
If the mind affects the body so profoundly, then would a severe mental breakdown destroy the body of an immortal? If they cannot die, then they would be forced to live a life of torment, not unlike Chiron. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiron) This brings me to my next question...
-Would immortals suffer from mental disorders?
If they can be affected by them as much as I said, then an inability to die from them would also mean an invulnerability to them.
What do you guys think of this?
There are the basics, of course. A lack of death and in most cases, age. However, following standard physiology, an immortal would not need sleep. Without sleep, the body dies. But removing death from the equation means sleep is useless. An immortal would never tire out, or become exhausted. Also, it would be impossible to render them unconscious. The body lapses into that state because the brain cannot take the stress of dealing with the pain and analyzing anything based on the conscious mind and senses. If it were to continue, the nerve system would collapse and the person would die.
Other questions remain unanswered. (bear in mind my answers are only specualtion)
-Would an immortal be able to be psychosomatic?
I would say yes, because the body, regardless of its outward invulnerabilities, is deeply affected by the mind. Keeping that in mind...
-What happens when an immortal loses the will to live?
If the mind affects the body so profoundly, then would a severe mental breakdown destroy the body of an immortal? If they cannot die, then they would be forced to live a life of torment, not unlike Chiron. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiron) This brings me to my next question...
-Would immortals suffer from mental disorders?
If they can be affected by them as much as I said, then an inability to die from them would also mean an invulnerability to them.
What do you guys think of this?