Ukufuna Kwesintu Ukuphila Okuphakade

KUSUKELA endulo, isintu besilokhu sinephupho lokuphila phakade. Namanje alikafezeki lelo phupho—akekho oseyitholile indlela yokunqoba ukufa. Nokho, muva nje ukucwaninga kwezokwelapha kuye kwalivuselela ithemba lokuthi mhlawumbe kungenzeka ngempela ukuba ukuphila kwabantu kunwetshwe kakhulu. Cabanga ngemizamo eyenziwa emikhakheni ehlukahlukene yesayensi.

Izazi zezinto eziphilayo zihlola i-enzyme okuthiwa i-telomerase zizama ukwandisa izikhathi amangqamuzana azivuselela ngazo. Ososayensi bayazi ukuthi amangqamuzana asemadala ayafa kuvele amasha esikhundleni sawo. Empeleni, cishe wonke umzimba uvuseleleka kaningi phakathi nokuphila komuntu. Uma le nqubo yokuzivuselela ibinganwetshwa, abacwaningi bacabanga ukuthi “umzimba womuntu ubungazivuselela isikhathi eside kakhulu—ngisho naphakade.”

Ukwakhiwa (cloning) kwezitho zomuntu ngezakhi zofuzo, okuwumkhakha wocwaningo okuphikisanwayo ngawo, kuthiwa kungenza iziguli zikwazi ukufakelwa isibindi, izinso, noma inhliziyo entsha efanelana kahle nalezo ziguli. Izitho ezinjalo zingakhiwa ngamangqamuzana aso isiguli okuthiwa ama-stem cell.

Abacwaningi bobuchwepheshe be-nanotechnology bathi esikhathini esizayo odokotela bayofaka egazini amarobhothi angangamangqamuzana ukuze athole futhi abulale amangqamuzana omdlavuza namagciwane ayingozi. Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi lo mkhakha wesayensi, kanye neyokwelapha ngezakhi zofuzo, uyogcina wenze umzimba womuntu wakwazi ukuzigcina uphila unomphela.

Abasekeli be-cryonics bagcina izidumbu eqhweni. Inhloso iwukuzilondoloza kuze kube yilapho kutholakala ulwazi olusha lwezokwelapha oluyokwenza odokotela bakwazi ukwelapha izifo, bahlehlise imiphumela yokuguga futhi bavuse abafileyo. I-American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry ithi lo mkhuba “uyindlela yanamuhla yokomisa izidumbu njengoba kwakwenza abaseGibhithe basendulo.”

Ukuphikelela kwesintu ekufuneni ukungafi kubonisa ukuthi kunzima kangakanani ukwamukela ukufa. Kungenzeka ngempela yini ukuba isintu siphile phakade? IBhayibheli lithini ngale ndaba? Isihloko esilandelayo sizonikeza izimpendulo.