26
Biological Immortality
movies will never successfully control aging and immortality, 
we do not need to find such potions. Modern automobiles 
have  thousands  of  parts,  precisely  tooled  to  perform  their 
function. The attainment of an early, benign immortality will 
be no less complex in terms of medical intervention. But there 
are now good reasons for thinking that it is fundamentally 
possible.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful to L.D. Mueller, J.P. Phelan, and C.L. Rauser 
for their comments on an earlier draft.
References
1) Rose, MR; 1991: Evolutionary Biology of Aging; Oxford 
University Press; pg.17
2) Martinez, DE; Mortality patterns suggest a lack of senes-
cence in Hydra in: Experimental Gerontology (1998, Vol.  
33); pg. 217
3) Bell, G; Evolutionary and nonevolutionary theories 
of senescence in: American Naturalist (1984, Vol.  124); 
pg.600
4) Greenwood, M & Irwin, JO; Biostatistics of Senility in: 
Human Biology (1939, Vol.  11); pg.1
5) Gavrilov, LA, & Gavrilova, NS; The Biology of Lifespan: A 
Quantitative Approach (1991); Harwood