Quest for Immortality

"The aging process is really a buildup of side effects of being alive in the first place," he says.

De Grey has identified the biological processes he thinks are responsible for aging, including the mutations that cause cancer and the gradual buildup of useless, toxic junk.

What does this accumulation of junk within the cells lead to?

"It depends on the tissue. In the eye, there is a type of junk that accumulates in the back of the retina that eventually causes us to go blind. It's called age-related macular degeneration. In the arteries, you have a different type of cell which accumulates a different type of junk that eventually causes arteriosclerosis," he says.

But de Grey has gone way beyond describing the causes of degeneration. In a series of papers he has developed a theory he calls "Engineered Negligible Senescence". Simply put, it says science will soon enable us to grow old without aging.

De Grey says that not all of the conditions that cause our bodies to age can be avoided or prevented…yet. "But I do claim that we have a fighting chance of developing ways to prevent them within the next 25 years or so." says Dr. Aubrey de Grey.

A member from Imminst member JLL thinks the best way to live long are these Five steps.
1. Eat a healthy diet
2. Be active
3. Take supplments. Anything goes! Drugs, herbals, nutironal etc.
4. Therapies for the body. Making sure that if something goes out on your body get it fixed. Getting help is a prolong process. You won't get a quick fix.
5.Cryonics. In short terms. Frezeing yourself. To live longer or bring back the dead.

In the 1700's the life expectancy was 24 years old. Century later it was 48, now it is 76.

I have read many things and what I have learned is that there are so many people that want to live longer. Will do anything just to live one extra day. I didn't figure out why, but i think there are four big reasons. Afraid, time, religion and because they can. They are are afraid of death because they read books, watch television, listen to music and see people around them die everyday that they don't want to be like them. Another one is time. When you are born you are already fighting death. You don't want to grow up and you want to get everything done in your lifetime. People rush everyday of the lives and they don't just stop and smell the roses. All they care about it money or getting to the top. Doing whatever it takes. Religion is a big factor towards immortality. Some people say that if you don't want to die that you are playing God. That you don't love him enough because you don't want to be with him. Some people want to live forever just because they can. Because the resourses now avaliable are out there. Their cirousity gets the better of them. This was never thought of in the earlier days and now that is could actually happen, people want to find new and bigger things.
In the book, Gilgamesh isn't really afraid of death because he doesn't have anything to live for. But when he realizes that Enkidu or him could die he stands back little and is a little scared. he realizes that there isn't enough time and that something really bad could happen. He goes to amense lengths to get immortality for his friend,but at the end when he sees those walls all built up and protecting his city, that is what will keep his immortality. Those walls will never fall down. When he talks to Utnapishtim, he has to remind Gilgamesh that immortality might not be for the best. So what if someone was immortal now, do you think it will be the best? Consider all the possibities that could end up happening. Their health, mental state, could all be better or worse off if they were immortal.



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/28/60minutes/main1168852.shtml
http://emeagwali.com/speeches/immortality/an-allegory-of-immortality.jpg

Conscientious Objection Grade this one!

What is "conscientious objection?"

In what ways does Antigone demonstrate this?

In y our opinion, did she do the right thing? Explain your view in terms of how 21st Century citizens might view her actions.

Conscientious objection is where someone goes against the law and doing what you think is right because of your beliefs and morals. She went against Creon's law saying that her brother,Polynice was to be left out and eaten by the birds and not to be giving a proper burial like her other brother Eteocles. She knows that if she doesn't give a proper burial to him that she will regret it forever. She tells Creon a brother is life. And that she has his back no matter what. "Go I, his prisoner, because I honoured those things to which honour truly belongs" (pg 151) She doesn't care that she will be taken away or killed, she did it because she loves her brother. And will do anything for him. Now in the 21st Century you have freedom of speech and religion. It doesn't mean that you can do kill someone that believes in something and say that that person goes against what you say or do. Now a days almost everyone gets a proper burial. One example of a not proper burial is sucided. People think that if you kill yourself you go to Hell. It's not what God wanted and that you shouldn't be able to have a proper burial with a pastor. You created a sin. And if that was your choice then you have to pay the conquences. I still think she did the right thing. She stuck up for her brother even though he went against the rule. Fighting against Thebes. It was good vs bad on her part. She could either be the good little girl and let her brother be eaten or be the bad girl and go against Creon's Law. She did the right thing. If my brother died even though he did something wrong, I would want him to have the same respects as anyone else.

Despair

What is the meaning of "Despair" and how does this theme manifest itself in both plays?

Despair is to give up, lose or be without hope. There are so many despairs in both stories. The first despair is when the priests are begging Oedipus to find out what the cause of their community struggling. They have seen their town going in ruins and people dying they don't know what to do anymore. They have given up all hope. "Now, Oedipus great and glorious, we seek your help again. Find some delieverance for us by any way that god or man can show." (pg. 26) They are coming back to him since his solving the riddle. Also another despair is when Oepidus's real parents find out about the fate of their son. They have to abanon their son and kill him. You also have the despair of Oedipus finding out that he couldn't stop fate and killed his father. And seeing his wife/mother killing herself. And then gouging his own eyes out. With that, having to abanon his children/siblings to leave the country without a brother/father. In Antigone the first despair is when she and her sister are left without a father, mother and any siblings. She finds out that only one of her brothers are giving a proper burial and her other brother is to be left outside where the birds will eat him. She has to go against the 'law" and give her brother the proper burial he deserves, no matter what could happen to her. She knows that if she doesn't do anything she will only be a coward in her own eyes. When Creon and Haemon have a talk about Antigone and that she will be killed because she has disobyed the law Haemon goes with it because that is the tradition. The son has to go with what the father tells him. He has given up hope (despair) because he cannot fight his dad. But when he is told that he has to watch her being killed he refuses "That sight I'll never see. Now from this hour shall you see me again." (pg 147) Antigone knows that she will die and she has can't do anything about it. She kills herself because she has knows hope that she will live. And with her dying Heamon kills himself because seeing his bride to be dead and he has nothing to live for. If she is dead what does he have? Nothing. And with his killing his own mom kills herself. Her son is dead and she has nothing to live for. Creon watchs all of this and prays for death. Praying for death was his despair. He has no wife or son, so what else does he have to live for?

Ignorance vs. Guilt

If a person does not know, is that person still guilty of grievous crime?

My opionion is that ignorance isn't excuse. You are found guilty then you are. No matter what the circumstnaces are. If you commit a crime which you are totally unware that it is illegal, it's still a crime. And you need to be punish to the full extent of the law. Which is Oedipus case he was banshied from Thebes. If I were on jury at that time I would find him guilty. He did the deed and now he has to pay for it. No matter if he knew it or not. A modern day example is if a student parks in the docks out back. Let's say that they had no clue that it was just for teachers. No prior knowledge that it wasn't for students. That student gets his/her car towed. He/she has to pay a fine to get the car back. Is he/she guilty? Yes, they committed a crime. They broke the rules and the rules need to be enforced. And if their car has to be towed and they need to pay then so be it. The evidence is all there. I can't have my values or beliefs get in the way of my thinking. If it happend to me, yea I would be very upset, but I can't go back on my word. If I said that you're guilty no matter if you knew it or not, I have take my punishment and walk away. NO matter how unfair I think it is.

Antigone

Ismene and Antigone talk about their brother being dead. Eteocles who will be giving a proper burial because he fought for Thebes and Polynice who will be left unburied because he went and fought against Thebes. Creon tells everyone that he will be left outside to be eaten by the birds. Antigone tells her sister that she will give a proper burial. Ismene thinks it is wrong that her brother will not be giving a proper burial, but doesn't want to die for it. Antigone lashes out at says her pride and love for her brother is to important to just stand back and watch her brother be eaten by birds. Creon enters telling everyone that the hero's brother will be giving the proper burial that he derserves and the other brother will be laid out for the birds. A guard enters saying that someone has tried to bury the wrongful man. The chorus comes out and believes that the gods did it. Creon doesn't believe that the gods would turn their back on him and go against his word. He sentences the guard to death if he doesn't find out who the person is. The chorus comes out and starts to sing about how the man needs to obey the gods because they are the ones that are the most powerful and they know everything. Later the guard comes back with Antigone. He found her trying to bury her brother after the dust storm. He questions her by asking her if she was the one that did it and she doesn't deny it. He then asks her if she knew the law and she also doesn't deny it. Saying that it was her brother and he deserve as much respect as her brother did. Creon brings in Isnme and tells them that they will be both put to death. Antigone sticks up for her sister saying that she had no part in saving her brother. It was all Antigone. Creon doesn't believe one word and sends them both off. Antigone tells him that it would be a pleasure to be put to death as long as she was doing something that she loved and stood up for. The chorus comes in and singing of how death has put in Oedipus house again and hope that it will be saved this time. Creon comes in with his son Hameon. They talk about the death of Antigone. At first he obeys his father and has his back 100 percent. But then tries to talk him out of it, by telling him about the community and what they thing. His father, Creon lashes out and denies any right for his son to speak and the community. He tells him that if the death of Antigone goes on that the death of others will surly be committed. Creon tells him that he will watch the death of his bride to be and Haemon freaks and says that will be the last of his seeing of his father. After much thought Creon allows Isnme to live and Antigone to be put alive in a cave. The chorus comes out singing about how a man that is in love will do insane things!When Antigone comes back in the Chorus believes that her death will only be because of the pride not because she is noble. She is furious when she is being lead to the cave by the guards. She tells Creon that the only reason she did it was because a sibling can never be relplaced. She cries out that all Thebes is ruled by a bunch of cowards who know nothing.Later when Tiresias comes in Creon swears to follow all directions he has. He tells Creon that because he did not bury the brother and is now going to put Antigone to death the Gods are putting a curse on all of Thebes. Creon does not agree with the prophet at first but then decides to let Antigone free but it is too late. She has hung herself. She has given up hope. When Haemon walks in and sees his loved dead he grabs a knife and stabs himself, thinking that there is nothing in the world to live for since his love has died. When words gets around to Hameon's mother she too kills herself for the greif of her son. When Creon finds about the death of his son and wife he too asks to be killed by the Gods. Which doesn't happen. The messenger tells him that he was cursed by his own stupidity. The chorus sings one last timeof how if one is too proud the Gods will find a way to bring him down.

King Oedipus

At the start of the play King Oedipus steps out his royal palace into a group of priests. The priests ask him why is the town suffering from poverty. People are dying the enconomy gets worse and worse. One of the eldest of the group asks the king to help him and the rest of the community, to discover what is the problem. He tells him that he suffers more than them. He tells him that he has sent his brother-in-law Creon to Apollo to see what is the problem and that he should return any day now. While they are speaking Creon comes to the group. King Oedipus wishes to know what the problem is. But Creon, knowing the bad news, ask if he wants to hear the news in private. King Oedipus refuses knowing that the community's problem is his problem. And everyone should be able to hear the news. Whether it is good or bad. Creon tells him that the problem is that a killer who killed King Lauis is in Thebes. King Lauis was the king before Oedipus. And they must find the killer or killers to end the plague. Creon then goes on and tells the story of Lauis's death in how all one one of his travlers survied the horrific death of his leader. Oedipus is dumbfounded on why the people of Thebes never tried to solve on who killed their leader. Which Creon reminds him about the curse of the Sphinx. With what Oedipus has heard he has vowed to solve the mystery of the killing of the former leader, Lauis. The chorus enters, crying out to the gods to help save Thebes. King Oedipus then calls everyone to his palace and declares that the person who killed the former king will have no hurndeous pushinment other than leaving the country. When no one answers he gets angry and tells them that if the person is in his own family that he will have the same punishment acted upon them that he just told the whole community about. The chorus then tells Oedipus to ask Teiresia who is blind. Oedipus has already sent for him, but there have been rumors that he has been killed on his road trip. But he ends up showing up and talking to Oedipus. Theiresia refuses to say anything and says he shouldn't have come in the first place. Oedipus is confused at first and shouts and insult the man. After many insults and hurtful words, Theiresias gets angry and starts to give out hints. Oedipus gets so upset that he accuses Theiresias of the muder of Lauis. Theiresais gets upset and tells Oedipus that he doesn't even know who his real parents are. Oedipus curisousity gets the best of him and starts to ask more questions about his parents. Teiresias only answered in riddles and says the killer of Laius is the son of his wife and the brother of his children. The chorus decides that they will not believe anything or anyone unless they are given proof. Creon enters with Oedipus. Oedipus accuses Creon of trying to overthrow him because he is the one that told him to bring Teiresias. Creon tries to calm Oedipus down, but Oedipus refuses and wants Creon to be killed. Jocasta comes in and convinces Oedipus not to kill anyone. Oedipus tells his wife about his day with Teiresias. Jocasta then tells him that they are all wrong. She tells him the story of how Lauis was told that he was to be murdered by his own son. With that, Jocasta and Lauis make sure that their son dies. They pinned his feet together and is shipped over to the mountain side to die. Or so they thought. Oedipus vaguely remembers this story and ask Jocasta to tell him more about the king's death. She speaks about how Lauis was at a three way road. He is suprised and tells her that he also killed a man at a three way road and that he may be the one that killed Lauis. He also tells her that when he was a kid at some banquet he overheard some drunken men that he wasn't the real son of his parents. Him being frightned he went to Delphi to find out what the truth was. When he found out that he was to kill his father and marry his mother he got scared and ran away so he could never harm anyone. Right before he was to enter the town, Thebes, he was confronted by some men that would not stop insulting him. He killed them out of self-defense. The same exact road where Lauis was killed. He gets scared and searches for the man that survied the attack. A messenger comes along and tells him that his father Polybus is dead and Oedipus is to come rule there. With that news they come to believe that the phophercy is wrong. He is still worried about sleeping with his mom, but the messenger tells him that he shouldn't worry because they were not his real parents. He then tells the story of how is parents found him on the side of the mountain with his feet pinned together. King Lauis and his wife gave their son away because of the awful fate that was to happen with their son. Oedipus sends to find the other person who worked for Lauis. Jocasta tells him to stop finding out who is real parents are. He tells her no and she freaks saying that this is the last of her he will see. He thinks it's just because she will get mad if he finds out that his real parents are poor. The shephard comes in and Oedipus begs him to speak. He refuses, but he finally agrees after O threatens to touture him. He gave the baby to another shephard to be raised as a prince. He realizes who he is and who is true parents are and screams. Then there is more bad news. They come to find out that Jocasta has hung herself because she realized who she really was and her son. O enters her room and seeing her being hung by a rope takes golden brouches from her clothing and repeatdly gouges his eyes out until he is blind. He cries out in agony that he is horrible and that is life is done for. He has asked to be taken away from Thebes at once. (like he told the people that would happen when he would find out who killed Lauis) Creon enters and agrees at once that he should be banned from the country only if the gods agree. He prays to the gods and they agree. Creon tells him that his son will act as men. O agrees, but asked to see his girls Antigone and Ismene. They enter the stage crying for their father. He tells him that no man will want to marry them after knowing what horrible father they had. He ask them to pray for a better life then he could ever give them. They hug once last time before the girls are taken away. At the end Creon bring O down from the throne and off to the country. The chorus enters saying that the greatest man has fallen and that all life horrible and the only way to have peace is to die.

Introduction to King Oedipus

Dramatic Irony- Dramatic irony is the base of King Oedipus. It is where the the readers or audience knows what is really going on. How he killed his father and married his mother where as King Oedipus and the rest of the crew doesn't know it. You see the the characters find out where you knew it all along.

Sophocles lead a life of privilege but was devoted to the service of state. He died, "leaving Athens materially exhausted and spiritually wrecked by the physical and moral strains of the conflict."

The introduction sets up the background of the play. The time period, the choice of government, The struggles the people went through to get to success, but never got it. The introduction helps the readers better understand the book before they read the first story: King Oedipus.

The chorus is a real person. In the story the represent the elders or the community, voicing their opinion about the conflicts in the story. They also give the themes in the play. Always having something to say.

Book One and Two of Odyssey

Book One:Odsseus was wat war, but when the war stopped he tried to go. He couldn't because the goddess, Calypso held him hostage because she loved him and wated to be with him. His son T is depressed because he hasn't come home. His mom, P is a bachloertte now because everyone thinks that Odsseus died. she has a house full of suitors (single men) which T doesn't like. But he doesn't do anything about it because he is helpless and he thinks he is weak. Athena changed into a man by the name of Mentes, an old friend of T's father, who tells Tthat he's got a hunch that O isn't dead and he shold tell the suitors to get lost. Athena told T to first visit Pylos then Sparta and see what he finds about his father. if he finds that his father is still alive then he can wait for one more year, but if he is dead the he needs to come home and bury his father and give his mom away in marriage. One suitor was singgng about the war when P heard it all. she was sad. P is the daughter of Icarius. P tells the man to stop because she can't take it anymore. T comes out and says why shouldn't take about it. People was lost too, not just O. He tells her just to go do women work and leave the displince to him. She was hurt about what he said and cried herself to sleep. T finally comes out and tells them that there will be a metting to where they will leave his house. Antinous, Eupeithes' son, told him that he can't do anything about it because he will not be king. T replied with telling him that he will be king no matter what.. Eurymachus, son of Polybus, rep;ied that the matter does rest on the god's kings, but anyone guy can take his wealth against his will. The suitors asked him who the guy was and he told him he was his fathers friend, but he knew that it was Athena. A girl named Eurycleia led his way to his room and she was that loved him the most. She raised him since he was born.
Book Two: Big T orders an assembly for the older guys when Lord Aegyptus speaks telling everyone that they just need to listen to waht T has to say. Aegyptus is the father of Antiphus who was a good friend of O's. He speaks to the cheifs that he is pissed about the suitors being in his houlse and trashing it. Then he asks because of his father's problems that they are taking it out on him and P. He says it would be better if you guys just come face to face and not hae other guys do it. He would have it be a little fair. Antinous gets pissed and said no one is to blame, but his mom. She promised that she would pick a man after she made a shaw for Lord Laertes. The agreed, but it has taken her three years. Finally an old maid told on her that she has been undoing her work at night. He says if she keeps doing this they will keep taking his stuff untill she marries. T comes back and tells them that he will not write his mother off no matter what happens. he also says that if they don't leave he will ask the God's premession so he can kill each one of them. Zeus hears this and sends eagles doewn to attack each other to show what could actually happen. Eurymachus replies that nothing will stop him from marrying P and T doesn't scare him. T asks them about his plan for his father's finding, but they shut him down. He walks back home when Athena disguises herself as Mentor telling him to go get things ready. Athena gain disguises herself as Mentor and gets the boat and supplies ready for his trip. T tells the maid about his trip and that she cannot speak of the trip to anyone, not even his mother.