Essay Sample: Has Human Longevity Reached Its Limits?

The question of whether human longevity has reached its limits is debatable. There are individuals who claim that human longevity has reached its limits whereas there are those who assert that human beings can expand their longevity. Proponents of whether human beings can expand their longevity assert that scientific research, medical interventions, pharmaceutical interventions and living a healthy lifestyle are two major ways in which human longevity can be expanded. The paper critically discusses whether human longevity has reached its limits.

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Scientific research can be used to expand human longevity (Kirkwood 15). Courtesy of conducting research on human genes, there is a likelihood of expanding human longevity. Genetic research is likely to reduce the rate at which senescence takes place in human cells. Senescence is the process by which human cells deteriorate with age. Genetic research can improve the power of cells to take part in division and growth. Pharmaceutical intervention is another way in which longevity of humans can be expanded. Pharmaceutical intervention can be used to slow down the deterioration of human cells. Courtesy of pharmaceutical intervention, the power of cells in growth and division can be expanded. For the last fifty years, there has been progressing with regard to tackling infectious diseases. Diseases that used to be life-threatening a hundred years ago no longer pose a danger to humanity courtesy of discovery of appropriate pharmaceutical and medical interventions (Robine 45). For instance, rabies and small pox are two diseases that used to be life-threatening until scientists discovered appropriate medical and pharmaceutical interventions to combat the diseases. Small pox is a disease that killed about three hundred million people in the twentieth century alone. Small pox played a major role in reducing the longevity of human beings. Small pox is manifested by scars on human skin; it also leads to infertility in mostly male survivors and blindness. Development of small pox vaccine in 1796 by Edward Jenner played a major role in putting an end to the suffering of human beings in the hands of small pox. Efforts of the World Health Organization ensured eradication of small pox by 1979. Rabies is a disease that used to be a death sentence until appropriate medical and pharmaceutical interventions came into place. Rabies is one of the deadliest diseases that has ever affected humanity. Studies have revealed that about a third of Europes population was decimated by the rabies pandemic. Most of the individuals who were infected by rabies died within seven days of their infection. Development of rabies vaccine by Louis Pasteur and Emile Rox in late nineteenth century played a major role in putting an end to the suffering that human beings in the hands of rabies.

Longevity of humans can be expanded by living healthy lifestyles. Eating healthy foods and exercising on a frequent basis are two major ways in which human beings can expand their longevity. Living in an environment that is free of pollutants is another way in which humans can expand their longevity. Taking part in physical exercises on a frequent basis has been proved to play a major role in reducing incidents of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension. Eating healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, and reducing consumption of fatty foods has been proved to play a major role in improving the lifespan of human beings (Solomon 65).

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that human beings have not reached a limit to their longevity. Scientific research, pharmaceutical interventions and medical interventions can be used by human beings to expand their longevity. Living of healthy lifestyles and avoidance of factors that have a negative impact on human health is another way in which humans can expand their longevity.

Works Cited

Kirkwood, T B. L. Time of Our Lives: The Science of Human Aging. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print.

Robine, Jean-Marie. Human Longevity, Individual Life Duration, and the Growth of the Oldest-Old Population. Dordrecht: Springer, 2006. Print.

Solomon, Lewis D. The Quest for Human Longevity: Science, Business, and Public Policy. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers, 2006. Print.