Upload
amanda-patterson
View
223
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
1/143
Towards a philosophy ofgerontology, version 5
1.Introduction.
2.Fundamentalgerontological considerations
on aging.
2.0.Definition of senescence.
2.1.On the process of
senescence.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
2/143
2.3.The forms of the pressure
of time.
2.4. Explanatory-theoreticaspects of senescence.
3. Philosophical thoughts onthe explanation of aging.
4. Towards eradication ofaging: a philosophicalstrategy.
1.Introduction: An atemptto mediate a deeper
compatibility betweenPhilosophy andGerontology
What is philosophy in
general, or what is the
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
3/143
specific of philosophy? ForAristotel, philosophy is the
knowledge of the firstprinciples and causes - thosesupreme principles whichexplain the wholeexistence(Coltescu, 2002
p.160 ). For Kant, philosophyis knowledge by concepts; orthe search of the limits of ourcognitive capacities. ForHegel, philosophy is therational knowledge ofabsolute. For Wittgenstein,philosophy is the activity ofeludation of thoughts. For
analitical philosophers,philosophy is the analysis ofscientific language or ofcommon language. ForHeidegger, philosophy is the
existential analytics , that is
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
4/143
investigating of those modesof being that are proper to
human existent(Dasein);
For Frankfurt schoolrepresentatives (Marcuse),philosophy is the critical
theory of modern society andof forms of reification andhuman alienation in thebackground of this society.Coltescu considered that "Inits esence, philosophy is thisreflection, this meditation bywhich we want tounderstand, to distinguish the
sense of world and of ourproper existence---and byunderstanding, to liberate us,to conquer our spiritualautonomy"(Coltescu 2002,
p.21). Most philosophers had
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
5/143
considered that philosophy isa knowledge, differences
appear either concerning itsobject( first principles, theabsolute, the universal etc.)or its method (by concepts toKant) or its faculty(reason,
senses etc). But, isphilosophy limited just to aform of contemplativeknowledge disinterestedfrom a practical orapplicative point of view?Tudosescu considersthat"...only in limits in whichit conditionate value
reedifications at the level ofother forms of socialconscience and, respective,modifications in the structureof the tables of cultural
values, so that these to
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
6/143
stimulate changes whith deepcharacter in the structure and
dynamics of civilizations, wecan say that philosophy havean applicativecharacter"(Tudosescu 1997,p.169). Someones had
emphasized the propensitytowards universality, thetendency to cover the wholereality: philosophy is ageneral conception about theworld; it tries to discern themost general determinationsof reality, that is of nature,society and thinking. But,
neither thought is anuniversal characteristic ofunivers nor society. The mostgeneral determinations ofworld concern either the
fundamental-necessary level
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
7/143
of reality, substance,microphysics level, or some
characteristics of the universas a whole, like evolution orcosmic becoming. Othersconsidered that, philosophystudies existence in its
totality . But Beaufret havewritten about Wollf:"Wollf isproposing for himselftherefore to make the censusof essentialias, that is of allthat it can be said aboutbeing as being. This scienceis, by consequence, thescience of being as
posibility....One can talkabout being without to say aword about its existence. Thelast is just a "complementumposibilitatis", a complement
of posibility."(Beaufret 1998,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
8/143
p.11). On the other hand,there are special
philosophies, as ethics orethical philosophy, which arequasi-disinterested aboutsome ontic or ontologicalaspects of reality. There is
some autonomy betweensome philosophicaldisciplines, such as there is acertain freedom in humanlife. An alternativecharacterization ofphilosophy concerns its aims.Thus, for Rescher thecharacteristic aims of
philosophy are: (i) Provideanswers to those domaindefinitive questions, that is,propound and comunicateinformation that conveys
these answers . ( We want
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
9/143
answers.) (ii) Seek forcogency, that is, fit those
answers out with a rationalethat attains cogency andconviction by way ofevidentiation, substantiation,and demonstration. (We want
not just answers but answersworthy of acceptance.) (iii)Strive for rational economy,pursuing the tasks at issue inpoints (i) and (ii) in a waythat is rationallysatisfacatory, that is, in anefficient, effective,economical ...
The general characterizationproblem of philosophyrelative to its particulardomains or of its specific
relative to other cultural
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
10/143
forms---art, religion,science---is a
metaphilosophical one. But,how it can be justified thisdiversity of opinions aboutthe esence of philosophy?Coltescu had considered that:
"The two levels ofphilosophy, [first-orderphilosophy andmetaphilosophy] are ininteraction, are situated in acircularity raport, thethinkers options in the planeof proper philosophy havingeffects on their
metaphilosophicalconceptions and, converse,their metaphilosophicalconceptions influence theirinvestigations in the plane of
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
11/143
proper philosohy."(Coltescu,2002, p.18-19).
About the antireduction ofphilosophy, science, mindand imortality
Like Vacariu et al (2001,p.275), I consider that theprevious characterizationsare partly correct but theyconcern philosophy from asingle perspective,sometimes from areductionist point of view.They can be considered as
quasi-complementary.However, previouscharacterizations, either inparticular or taken alltogether simultaneouslly, do
not succed to surprise all that
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
12/143
was, all that is, all that willbe, all that can be
philosophy. But, until towhat limits can bephilosophy extended anddeveloped? What isphilosophy? Or, can be it
unificated? If an unificationby reduction at one of theprevious characterizations isinacceptable, still remain aposibility of unification notby reduction but by anultimate persistent aim,ideal. I will ilustrate this withan example from philosophy
of science. Popperconsidered that truth is theregulative ideal of science,and in this sense truth mayhave an unificatory role,
relative to various special
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
13/143
sciences, as a common aim,ideal, tack toward all the
scientific propensitiesconverge. But, truth singlemaybe is a too strongcriterion of scientificity andis not enough as an ideal of
science, because the commonstatements as "the sun isbrilliant" are not veritablescientific statements, becausethey are too common-truths.More constrains are needed.In addition, science should topursue also sistematicexplanation, the laws and the
freedom grades of universe atall its levels, frommicrocosmos to individualhuman conscience, societyand macrocosmos.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
14/143
Against antistructuralreductionism
Fetzer assume that scienceaims at the discovery of lawsof nature that have the formof general principles that are
applicabile for the purposesof explanation andprediction. On the otherhand, science should not toprefere simplicity andeconomy necessarly. Simplertheories ought to be preferedto complex alternatives onlyin the cases in wich they are
also adequate, truth. Iaddition, we do not know apriori that reality is simple.Other think that, science tendtowards unity(cf. Gold and
Stoljar, 1999). However,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
15/143
science should to pursueunity only in the case in wich
world is realy unitary. But,we do not know a priori thatuniverse have an ultimateuniversal unity. This aims arepreferable but they are
contingent aims, thereby theyhave a contingent scientificvalue. Maybe, the universehave a fundamentalontological level wich have anecessary existence, andconsequently is universal,for/in every posible world,but the universe unity should
not be identified with theunity of science. The unity ofuniverse exist at thefundamental ontologicallevel, but the unity of human
science is at the level of
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
16/143
human conscious level. Thehuman consciousness is
something that exist at anupper ontological level, thatdepend on a more complexlevel of organization. If the"elementary particles" are
not elementary, if there existan ultimate unique-type-of-ontological-primitive,however, "organization is aproperty wich cannot bereduced to the properties ofits parts, for the behavior ofeach part depends on those ofthe others and on the aims of
the whole."(Del Re, 1998).By previous phrase I havenot intentioned to defend theautonomy of chemistry,biology or of psychology
against microphysics's
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
17/143
imperialism. I only intendedto criticize the tendency to
reduce all the emergentproperties of systems withcomplex organization to thesums of the properties oftheir microparts. I disageed
whith idea that all thephenomena from superiororganizational complexitylevels supervene as simplesums of the phenomena fromlower levels.The superior cognitivecapacities of human brain areabsent at the single neuron
level, that is neurons are notsmall brains. Brain is not abig neuron.For exemple, if we take twothousand of resistors and we
try to connect them in all
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
18/143
posibile structures, we knowthat there is only one
unnecessary structure, wichis total serial, in wich thetotal resistance, thephenomenon from higherlevel, is the sum of the
resistance of each resistor, orthe sum of the properties ofphenomena from the lowerlevel, but in structures thatinvolve parallel conectedresistors, the total resistanceis not a simple sum of theresistance of individualresistors. The property that is
comon both to the higherlevel and to the lower level is"resistitivity".And, in the non-serialresistors corpus the
difference in the total
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
19/143
resistance is thanks tostructure. However, this
resistor corpus have a aditiveproperty, a property that isonly the sum of theproperties of parts: its mass.Only its mass do not depend
on its structure. But, theprevious exemple concern aset of objects that are of thesame kind. If we add toresistors also condensators,transistors and other parts,and try to erect a computer,than the properties ofcomputer will be only the
sum of the properties of itsparts? How will we addresistivity withcondensativity?An other argument
antireductionist in spirit,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
20/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
21/143
arborization, and dendriticarborization.
And, with many empiricalevidences(e.g., Bourgeois etal. 1994) they show thatthere is no in the temporal
interval of development achange(a sudenllyeliminatory selectivity aspretend selectionism) wichsustain selectionism, on thecontrary they argue forneural constructivism, that isfor development as anincrease in complexity. And,
this is not in favour ofsimplicity.However, I think that thedevelopmental properties of
mind should to depend also
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
22/143
on the synaptic spatialdistribution, not only on the
synaptic number.In addition, there are writers,like van den Bos, wichpropose a framework for
animals consciousness studywich is based on ahierarchical organizationalfeedback model of centralnervous system. van den Bosdefined consciousness" as aproperty of neural networksof self-organizing systemsdedicated to dealing with
rapidly changingenvironments affordingflexibility in behavioralpatterning"([van den Bos,2000]). He consider that:
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
23/143
the brain structures form afunctional unit.
the mental states have twoparts:one invariant(wich isopen to study in relationwith species' Umwelt) andone variant.
the specific contents of amental state at a particulartime point is dependent onmomentarily active neuralconnections within thespecific network and onthe information encoded inthese connections.
the encoded information is
formed by the specificinput (through sensoryorgans) and output (themovements that are made)relationship in the
hierarchical sistem.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
24/143
On the other hand, betweenthe neuronal level and the
neuronal network levelthere is a difference that ispartial analogous with thatwich there is between theatomic level and the
molecular level, or betweenthe macromolecular leveland the celular level, orbetween celular and tisularlevels . If thinking there isonly at the conscious level,and the consciousness is aproperty of a network wichis situated at a superior
level of a hierarchy, thenthinking and animalsconsciousness cannot bereduced/limited atproperties of a singular
neuron, as must to pretend
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
25/143
the neuron doctrine.Thecorrect tendency of present
is to recognize that there isa dependency betweenorganization of conscienceof animals and theorganization of brain. On
the other hand, the posiblerelationships andcomunications betweenneurons depend also on theproperties of neurons. But,the properties ofinteractions between sets ofspecial organized neurons,depend also on the global
properties of those sets,wich depend partial on thespecific organization ofthose sets, and on the otherinfluences from CNS. Thus,
properties of neurons plus
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
26/143
the quantity (the number) ofneurons determine a big set
of posible CNSs, as the setof the CNSs of mamals.From all posible CNSs, theenvironment [competition,the fight for survival or/and
reproduction, the capacityof problem solving even bydeceptive conditioning]have selected some. But, theproperties of neurons, whenthere are more than oneneuron, cannot determineonly one type of specialorganization of CNS, but
only a non-diferentiated setof posibilities, or thegeneral laws of theorganization of any posibleCNS, wich permit the
existence of a great number
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
27/143
of different specialorganizations of CNS. And,
if we consider the superiorcognitive emergentproperties of an individualCNS, like that of human, Ithink that, we will realize
that the properties of itssingle neurons form in theexplanation of thosesuperior cognitiveproperties only the necesaryconditions--- with the sameneurons may be constructedother different CNSs--- andthat for the explanation of
the specific or individualproperties of a CNS wehave to consider also itsorganization, structure,functioning, wich form in
its explanation a sufficient
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
28/143
condition. On the otherhand, there exist aditive
properties, as would be thephysical mass of brain,wich do not depend on thearrangement of the parts ofthe whole. Thus, at different
levels of organizational andfunctional complexity thereare emergent propertieswich cannot be founded atcertain too lower levels andwich are not just simplesums of the phenomenafrom wich they supervene.For exemple, chemists, at
least Del Re, admit theireducibility of higher levelsproperties (like, the globalproperties of cells) to thelower level properties---by
ireducibility I intended to
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
29/143
say that a cell is not just aquantity of molecules or
macromolecules---in thefolowing way:
a molecule is a collectionof nuclei and electrons.
the way in wich are puttogether nuclei andelectrons matter, and theconnections (chemicalbonds or microforcefields) determine theproperties of the whole.
a complete description ofthe electrons and nuclei
wich form the parts of amolecule is not a completdescription of anindividual molecule,because the whole reality
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
30/143
of a molecule include alsoemergent properties.
the properties of nuclei andelectrons and theirnumerical cantity, theconstrains of universalenvironment plus the
contextual constrains,determine all the type ofintramolecular connectionsand moleculararrangements.
the particular arrangementof nuclei and electrons in amolecular structure tend tosatisfy the actions of force
fields. but the non-additive
properties of a molecule asa whole depend also on itsspecific molecular
structure, and they neither
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
31/143
can be finded at level ofthe properties of nucleus,
neither are uniquedeterminated by the theproperties of the nuclei orof the electrons.
a cell, is what it is, not
because it wouldcorrespond to a metastableconfiguration of atoms andelectrons by wich it isconstituted, but because itscoordinated activity(entelehy) is finalized,aimed at holding it alive ina particular (normal) state.
Del Re considers that, for acomplet description of anentity wich appear asunitary at a certain level, wemust to describe the
collection of all the
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
32/143
previous levels wich appearin a hierarchy of an
organizational andfunctional complexity, andthat at each previous levelthe information about theconsidered object is partial
latent and indeterminated.In evolutionary psychologyit is considered that humanmind is the result of amodular organization ofbrain; the modules of brainhave multiple specializedfunctions like: receptivefunctions, motor functions,
or for the formation and thecriticise of beliefs; andthese modules areinterconnected. However,this modular view is
criticized by neural
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
33/143
constructivism. All these(the hierarchy, modularity
or networks properties) tendto falsify the thesis thathuman mind or the integralconsciousness animalexperience can be reduced,
or can be the product of asingular neuron, untill to thelevel of the singular neuron,as must to pretend theneuron doctrine. Maybe,neuron can be an unity ofNS, but cannot be an unityof conscious states. Twoman with the same number
of synapses and with samenumber of neurons candiffer in their mentalproperties, due to synapticspatial distribution. Political
sciences do not treats about
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
34/143
the properties of elementaryparticles, but unity must be,
however, a comm-unity ofthe particular sciences and aspecific unity of science,not a hierarchy of levels ofexistence or a history of
molecular evolution fromelementary particles andforces to the human society.However, systematizationand clasification of sciencesare values from a rationalpoint of view(Hintikka andHalonen, 1999).The unity of science should
be an unity not of all thelevels of materialorganization, but an unity ofall the scientific products.Given the great diversity of
domains of sciences and
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
35/143
scientific products, acontent unity is less
expectable. On the otherhand, the scientific progresscan change the unity ofscience whith time.Therefore, an regulative
ideal/ideals as unity ofscience is good.
As a kind of conclusion toantistructural ontology
Human brain is a
concretmaterialisation ofan ontologically posiblesystem.
The set of all the posible
systems and structures
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
36/143
depend on the propertiesof ontological
primitive/primitives, ontheir numerical quantity,on the trans-contextualconditions and on thespecific contextual
conditions.
The properties of thewholes depend on theproperties of ontologicalprimitives, on the quantityof the ontogical primitivesthat constitue them, ontheirstructures; on the
interaction withenvironment; and, thereexist emergent properties.
An ontologically posible
mind is not a product of
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
37/143
human brain, but it is ahuman discovery.
The posible minds, theproperties of ontologicalprimitive/primitives, thelaws of univers, are not
products of humanmind;their existence is notconditionated by humans;humans cannot exist if theywould not exist; they hadexisted before the lifeapparition and can to existif life would no longerexist.
The ontological posibility
of human brain isimplicated by theproperties of ontological
primitive/primitives, by
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
38/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
39/143
Is there somethingindestructible in Univers?
We can to conceive thewhole space being empty.But, we cannot to imaginesomething aspatial.
Is there something moreprimitive than the emptyspace in univers?
Is there something thatwould can affect the spaceitself?
...The matter density in
some region of space canincrease and decrease, butthe space itself cannot bedestructed?...
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
40/143
Now, consideredetimologicaly, philosophy
have the sense of love ofwisdom. In an analog way,we can consider that theeternal regulative ideal ofphilosophy is wisdom. We
saw that initial it wasconsidered that wisdominvolve the knowledge ofbeing, but then appeared anenrichment, preoccupationfor the knowledge ofbecoming, then for theknowledge of humanity,then for the knowledge of
the limits of the purereason, and so on. Thehistory of philosophy revealthat the term philosophyhave a dynamical intension
and extension. What would
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
41/143
should to justify theinclusion or exclusion of
certain conditions to theconceptual sense ofphilosophy is theirconsistency with its finalideal: wisdom. This
historical development andenrichment of intension andextension of the love ofwisdom make us toanticipate that wisdom is anideal toward we tend and/orprogress, not a somethingpresent wich we wouldneed just to analize, like
brain. I think that, brainitself is nothing more thanan mean wich participate,by its cognitive/scientificdevelopment, at the
realization of this ideal
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
42/143
result, and in conditions inwich its functions or
capacities can be multipleimplementable, brain is notthe only mean or thenecessary condition, theposibility condition of
wisdom. If those capacitiesof brain (like control ofmovement, stimulusreception and codification,information processing,imagination, problemsolving) are reproductibleby robots, then the neuronallevel is not a necessary
condition for the posibilityof mind.
The necessary anduniversal characteristics of
whatever posible mind are
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
43/143
a set of capacities wich canbe implementated by
architectures wich can bedifferent both at theorganizational-cauzallevel(the same capacity cansupervene on different
structures that do notsimulate brain arhitecture)and at the implementationallevel.
As Block said, "it can beimplementated mecanicaly,electricaly, biologicaly."
Brain is specialized inrealization of certainfunction/functions like:
sensory functions:
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
44/143
(a) reception, codificationand processing of the light
quanta flux, in the limits ofsome frequencies.(b) reception, codification,processing of acustic/airpertubations, in some limits.
(c) reception, codification,processing of the stimuluscoming from the interactionwith macrobjects.
motor functions:for the reglation ofmovements:(a) for movementpreparation.
(b) for the movement in theexternal environment.(c) for the internal motionsreglation(as the motions ofheart, etc.)
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
45/143
for the codificated store ofinformations/contents.
for the abstract processingof information.
for reasoning.
But, the function or the
ultimate utility of all thisfunctions is only one:survival and optimization ofconditions of life; tomaximize the quantity andquality of life;or thepreservation and theimprovement of life. Abeter visual system can help
an animal to resolve somevital problems. But, theaccuteness of human visionis inferior whith regard tothe vision accuteness of
other animal visual system.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
46/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
47/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
48/143
the utlity of feelings. Arobot can be programated to
have an ultimate missionand to use all its cogntivepowers to realize it. But inthis case its freedom wouldbe only relative...to means.
Bones, muscles, brains haveas an ultimate utility ormission to solve thepreservation andoptimization of lifeproblem?We can conceive for everyneuronal network of brain
an artificial network wich issuperior both in quantity ofits components and in itsstructural-functional,organizational properties,
that is in its performance.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
49/143
What is essential is the finalutility, the set of actual
structures and the actualcapacities maybe is not thebest one. Can we conceivesuperior alternativecapacities of mind? Is the
abstract principles of lifemultiple concretizable? Ifthe first person level of anindividual human cansupervene on differentmaterial implementations, ifits long therm memorywould can be transferred,then the problem of
imortality is multiplesolvable. This was forantireduction of science,mind and imortality.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
50/143
We observe that, at thesame time with the
extension of science, art andculture domains it is posiblethe extension of domains ofphilosophy, for exempleapparition of philosophy of
gerontology. However, theenrichment of the content ofthe term philosophy may beinitiated even from theinside of philosophy itself.The progress in philosophycan result in multiple ways:
by development of some
ancient fundamentalquestions and answers.by abandonment of some
theses, directions wich hadbeen proved untrue,
inexacte or improper.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
51/143
by addition of new topicssupervened by philosophic
intuition and reflection.
And, may be, every domainof reality or even theposibility can to become an
object for philosophicalreflection, but much morethose themes wich are morecompatible with itsfundamental philosophycalideal: wisdom. Reasoningthinking, and its forms, isthe necesary condition ofhuman wisdom, but it is not
enough. What it can bewisdom? Or, at least, ingreat lines, with what it isincompatible? Wisdomcannot mean ignorance,
therefore it is compatible
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
52/143
with cognition. However,wisdom cannot mean any
knowledge: philosophy isnot identical neither withscience, nor with religion orart. And, some properobjects for cognitive
philosophy, had beenshowed before . On theother hand, wisdom cannotmean insuficientinteligence, therefore itmust involve alsointeligence. In absolute,inteligence involve thecapacity of solving
problems, indifferent oftheir importance or valuesfor humans. But, inaddition, wisdom should toinvolve also the evaluation
of the fundamental function
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
53/143
or pragmatic utility ofinteligence in acord with
the fundamental needs ofbiobeings. Thus, wisdom iscompatibile with theconscious attempt to resolvethe folowing problems:
survival; adaptation have avalue only as a mean tosurvival, not an absolutevalue; sometimes is morewiser the adaptation ofunivers to the needs ofhumans.
optimization of life
conditions.extension of life span.eradication of senescence, if
it will be posible.and progressing in this
sense we tend towards an
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
54/143
ideal limit: imortality andhappiness.
In addition to inteligence,wisdom must to involve thecapacity of correctappreciation of the possesor
most important aims, forlong term. I propose thefolowing measure law , as apotential biouniversal lawof wisdom:
The wisdom of creatures,either at individual level orat species level, is directly
proportional to thequantity, quality and thebalance between quantityand quality of their life inthe history of univers;
however, considering the
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
55/143
dificulty of their contextualconditions of life.
This law is well-groundedon a supposition and
appreciation of what is andwhat should to be the finalaims of allcreatures[continuouslysurvival, conservation anddevelopment of life].
For 3,x miliards of years,the final sense or utility of
most body-environmentinteractions eitherconscious or unconscious,of knowledge, of thenavigation within
environment, of the
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
56/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
57/143
is the ultimate ethics ofmost humans.
Now, previousconsiderations(the goodones) can function asalternative conditions wich
enrich the conceptual senseof philosophy term. Or,they can subsume thealternative conditions. Ifmankind would be suddenlythreatened by a naturaldisaster, as a collision withan celestial body or by anew glacial era, all the
human knowledge would beutilized as a mean tosolving the problem/aim ofsurvival and unlimitedconservation of life. In
relation with the other body
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
58/143
parts, brain have a role ofcontrol, orientation,
problems(like survival,reproduction and otherinvolved by happiness)solving, but in relation withlife is only a mean; the
mental life of brain dependon the life, the state and thefunctional relation betweenits (neuronal, glial)cells;and survival andconservation of other bodyparts cells depend, at leastin part, on the braininteligence; there is an
interdependence here.Human mind have asfundamental tack, or,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
59/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
60/143
In what it will folow, I wantto present a minimal
consideration on someimportant aspects ofgerontolgy.
2.1. Definition of
senescence
Eremia consider that,"senescence is apparentlythe spontaneous process ofprogressively deteriorationof life structures, releasedat the molecular level,starting with the first
moment of this structuresand having as result thepermanent reduction ofbiological performances, aswell as the increase of the
risk of life cesation as a
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
61/143
result of all environmentalaggressions kinds".
([Eremia, p.38])
2.2. On the process ofsenescence
Strehler divide theprocesses of senescence intwo categories:
determinated, by wich heunderstand that part of anysenescent process wich isgeneticaly determinated.
and,subsidiary, related tothe aggressions efectswich appear in the frameof the interactions betweenbody and environment.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
62/143
Most gerontologists (cf.Eremia) consider that a
process is senescent when itfulfil the folowing fourfundamental conditions:
universality: all the
members of species mustto be affected by it withtime.
progressivity: wich supposethat the lesions wich are atbase of senescence areacumulated with time; theaffection of amacromolecule is
spontaneous, butaccumulation of thislesions it is producedgradualy and, therefore,progressively,
regressively.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
63/143
to be intrinsic: are excludedthose lesions wich come
from external causes asdiseases.
to be noxious.
2.3. The Forms of the
Time Pressure
Eremia unify under the'time pressure' phrase thefolowing factors withsenectogen character:
thermic agitation ofmolecules wich implement
the structure of life.fotonic and corpuscular
bombardment camingunder the form ofenvironmental radiations.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
64/143
interconnection ofmacromolecular chains, in
special of proteins andnucleus acids, wich is thechemical reaction wichgenerate the most amplenoxious efect, starting
from the most lower levelchemical interaction.
2.4. Explanatory-Theoretic Aspects ofSenecence
In his "An attempt at arational clasification oftheories of aging",Medvedev estimated thenumber of theories wich
explain aging to
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
65/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
66/143
program - most often bynon-feeding ( at some
insects, nematods etc.).
1.3. The hypotheses ofmorphogenetical passiveaging:
1.3.0.The hypothesis ofaging as a continuation ofdifferentiation, as asupradifferentiation or as aincrease of genesrepression.
1.3.1. The hypothesis of
aging as adisdifferentiation withgenes repressiondisappearance anddisregulation of sequential
transcription.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
67/143
1.3.2.The hypothesis of
aging as an efect ofincomplete repression ofdevelopment program.
1.4.The hypotheses of the
existence of some specificor non-specific genes ofsenescence.
1.4.0.The hypothesis ofnon-balance betweenmutator and antimutatorgenes action.
1.4.1. The hypothesis ofsome pleiotropic geneswich act in the late life.
1.4.2. The hypothesis of the
programmed synthesis of
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
68/143
some mitotic inhibitors orof some inhibitors of
transcription andtranslation.
1.4.3. The hypothesis ofsome mutations wich
accellerate aging(theoriesinspirated from human thesindroms of prematureaging).
1.5. The hypotheses of theexistence of some longevityspecific genes.
1.5.0.Hypotheses based onthe identification of somegenes wich extend the lifeof some inferior eukariotes.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
69/143
1.5.1.Hypotheses wichexplain the human superior
longevity comparativelywith the primates by someadditional genes that havehumans.
1.5.2.Hypotheses wichhave as starting point theidentification of mammalslongevity genes with thehelp of selection byhibridization.
1.5.3. Hypothesis of theexistence of some genetical
programs for correctionwich are released only ingerminal cells.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
70/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
71/143
1.6.3.Hypothesis of limitedpotential of cellular
divisions.
1.6.4.Hypothesis of thecellular"capitulation".
1.6.5.Hypothesis abouthipotalamic neuroendocrincenters.
2. Theories of the firstlesions
2.0. Hypothesis of wear bywork.
2.1.Hypothesis ofautointoxication.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
72/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
73/143
2.8. The theory of the
thermic microshocks.
2.9.The theory of somaticmutations.
2.10.The theory of entropy.
2.11. The theory of thedeuterium accumulation.
2.12. The theory of theaccumulation of somemetabolits isomers.
2.13. The theory of themetallic ions accumulation.
2.14. The theory of theradiations senectogen
efects.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
74/143
2.15. Theories of lesions by
stress.
3. Theories based on theanalysis of senescencemanifestations at the
molecular, cellular andorganic level
3.0.Theories of thestructural stabilization andof the macromolecularintercconection.
3.1. Theories based on the
calitative modifications ofprotein by post-translationalcauses.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
75/143
3.2. Theories based on thecantitative changes of
proteins.
3.3. Theories based onmodifications in proteinbiosynthesis.
3.4. Theories based onmodifications of structureof nucleus acids.
3.4.0. Hypothesis of DNAchain breakings.
3.4.1. Hypothesis of DNA
metilation diminuation.
3.4.2. Hypothesis of metalicions wich are connectedwith DNA.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
76/143
3.4.3. Hypothesis ofmodifications in DNA
proprocessing.
4. Evolutionary Theories
4.0. Theories of rate of
living.
4.1. Theories based on thecorrelations betweenbreeding rate and agingrate.
4.2. Theories based on thecorrelation between
development lenght and rateof aging.
4.3. Theories based on thecarrelations between body
sizes and life span.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
77/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
78/143
5. Theories of certainparticular tissues aging
5.0. Theory of the colesterolin aterosclerosis.
5.1. Theory of the protein
modification in cristalinaging.
5.2. Theory of eritrocitesaging.
5.3. Theory of toothswearing.
7. Unificatory Theories:
- wich try to combineelements from differentgroups of theories; for
exemple, so called "network
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
79/143
theory of aging" elaboratedby Kowald and Kirkwood
in 1994, wich join thetheory of erors with thetheory of free radicals.
The problem wich is put in
gerontology is that ofdistinction between efectsand causes.The mainquestion will be always thefolowing:
is the incriminatedmodification really a firstcause of senescence or is
only the result of someemergent changes from amore fundamental level?([Hayflick, 1983]).
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
80/143
Eremia had affirmed that"most gerontologists
consider that senescence is,most probable, amulticauzal andmultifactorial phenomenon,at wich realization take
part many biophysical,biochemical and biologicalmechanisms. Each type ofcell, tissue, organ ororganism have its propertrajectory of aging.Cellular senescentprocesses are at the base ofglobal phenomenon of
aging, but they form, at thesame time, the componentelements of a an interactivesuperior hierachicalnetwork of wich integrity is
deteriorated with time.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
81/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
82/143
towards macroscopic,tissular levels? There is no a
bidirectionality? Psychicalstress[at the sistemic,emergent, macroneronallevel] would cannot affectsenectogenly the individual
cells level? Or the humanetiological and therapeuticignorance [I think at thepower of present-daygerontology to eradicatesenescence] would cannottake a place, as a condition,in a rational, completeexplanation of human
aging? We see that, thesenescence conditionscannot be found in totatlityat an fundamentalontic[physical-chemical,
atomic-molecular] level,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
83/143
because cognition andhuman ignorance are states
wich depend on thedynamical interactions inthe space phases of acellular ensemble.Therefore, a complete
explanation of senescence,wich have to expose all theconditions of senescence,cannot be a reductionisticone, because humanignorance is a cognitiveinsufficiency and consciouscognitive level is anemergent one. And, if
psychical stress mayinfluence the speed or therate of aging, than again thereductive explanation isincomplete. Human
conscience is not to be
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
84/143
found at the singularintraneuronal level. On the
other hand, senectogenfactors can be bothintrinsec[ for exemple,replicative senecence] andextrinsec [for exemple,
reactive species of oxigenROS], wich make havier thereduction of explanation toa singular factor withsenectogen efect. On theother hand, if we wouldunify the previous theoriesclasificated by Medvedevand create the folowing
reasoning:
T1 or T2 or ...orTN(N=aprox.300)X is a human
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
85/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
86/143
sufficient to produceaging, but a different form
af aging, a different rate ofaging, a differentlongevity. But, there is amea rate of human agingwich determ a mean
human longevity.And if the eradication ofaging is not imposible, thanaging is a contingentfenomenon and previousconclusion is not necesary,therefore the reasoning isnon-valid. Us hope is thathuman aging can and will
be eradicated, maximalminimized, or at least, verymuch minimized. If thereare non-aging cells, likethose wich are caled
"imortal"---but they can be
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
87/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
88/143
reasoning conclusion-prediction is non-necesary
or contingent. Andtherefore, the reductiveexplanation of aging isincomplete. But, even ifhuman aging would be
ineradicable, theexplanation of specific ofhuman aging traiectorywould require aconsideration of humanbody arhitecture, of itsstructural and functionalspecificity. General cellularsenescence would
indiferently explain theaging of all mamals, butthere are certain diferenceswich cannot be explanatedwithout refering to special
structural or arhitectural
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
89/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
90/143
are good tendencies. Suchgeneral theory of aging
would offer an most extenseand rational understandingof aging. On the other hand,the most general=universaltheory is the most minimal
one. If we restrict ourgeneral theory of aging tothe class of living things,than that theory should torefer to celullar processes,because the most simpleliving thing is a unicelullar.But, how much resemble, orhow much relevance have
the unicelullar senescenceto the human senescence?Eremia have wrote thatanemona, a pluricelularorganism, do not age
because it continuously
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
91/143
replace its unicelullar parts.Some even have said that
all unicelullar do not age,because they are imortal; inthis case a biouniversaltheory of aging is notposible. However, a general
theory of aging can begeneral in another sense: itis general not relativ to allthe living things but to allthe things that areagingable orsenescentable.And, if we conceive agingas transbioaging than thattheory will be from an
absolute perspective verygood, but from aperspective wich quest for acomplete explanation ofhuman aging will be very
minimal and insuficient.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
92/143
But, we must evaluatetheories also from the point
of view of solving theproblem of eradication ofhuman aging. It seem that asuch general theory ofaging would offer the most
rational help towardcreating a fundamentalstrategy for eradicating ofhuman aging. But, a generaltheory of aging cannotsubstantiate a completeexplanation of humanaging; and, if that theorycannot justify all the aspects
of human aging, than thestrategy wich is based on itcannot lead to eradicatingof human aging. On theother hand, those laws of
nature, like termodynamics
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
93/143
laws, that explain the failureof nonliving things, cannot
explain or are quasi-irelevant for explanation ofliving things. Living thingscannot leave in state ofminimal entropy(Oexle). If
the laws of nature thatexplain the progressivedeterioration of non-livingthings are truthly irrelevantto the explanation of theaging of living things, thancan be a general theory ofaging? If the answer is yes,in what sense? A such
theory must be a coverytheory, not general. It mustmust to refer at a formalgenerality, or formalabstractivity. We must to
conceive the general
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
94/143
concept or idea of aging asan progressive, cumulative
process of deteriorationwich can be initiated bothfrom the inside and theoutside of body. The formof senescence traiectory of
diverse objects, or the theirsenescence rates are notidentical but similar. Thosecharacters of process ofaging that are proper only toliving things, likenoxiousness or thediminuation of biologicalperformances, cannot be
characteristics of theuniversal form aging. Onlythe progessiveness of adeterioration can constituethe universal form of aging.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
95/143
Now I want to return to theprevious reasoning-
prediction-explanation. Forthe conclusion to form anecesary consequence, thepremises must to form asufficient condition. But,
even if the theories from thefirst premise are all true, wedont know if they form ornot form a complete causalexplanation; sure, the causalexplanation is not acomplete explanationbecause it do not see thepermissibility conditions of
aging. And, it seem that theprevious theories form acomplete causal explanationof aging, but the premisesof explanans are not
sufficient to determine the
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
96/143
conclusion as a necessaryconsequence-prediction.
Because the conditions arenot sufficient; explanans donot contain a explicitcondition about theimposibility of eradication
of aging. If the argumentwould contain a conditionabout the absoluteimposibility of eradicationof aging or about theimposibility to arrive at thisresult, by the progress ofscience, in a given period oftime(in the life of X), than
the prediction would folowwith necessity. However,our reasoning was formedin an absolute form, in theconditions is not established
a temporal interval. That
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
97/143
global aging mustcorrelate(Shurtz) or depend
(Thalos) onendogenous(e.g., genetical,celullar, tisular carelates)and exogenous(e.g.,physical and/or
evolutionary conditions)senectogen corelates it istruth, but in order to aconsequence to benecessary itscondition/conditions mustbe sufficient. For Schurz,"an explicit and completanswer to an explanation-
seeking question ?P isformally a pair A = (Prem,Prem=>P)(for itclaims Prem to be true andPrem => P to be correct... .
Prem is the descriptive and
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
98/143
Prem=>P the inferentialpart of A"(Schurz 1999).
In our case, the endogenousand exogenous correlates ofaging can form Prem. And,this Prem implies P=agingphenomenon. But, there is a
problem: even if the causalcorpus from Prem iscomplete, the implication isrelative. If Harnad was rightwhen he said that physicallaws are contingent, thenthere is no implicationthere. If the implication itholds only in the case in
wich are excluded accidentsor antiaging interventionsthan it is relative to someconditions. Should we addalways some conditions to
causes/correlates in Prem to
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
99/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
100/143
reduce/limited theexplanation of aging at a
physical process as entropywas criticated. In this sense,Oexle, a specialist, considerthat " Simple generalizingexplanations of aging in
terms of entropy areinsufficient for thefollowing reasons: i) Non-equilibrium entropy itself isnot a simple concept. ii)The second law ofthermodynamics does notdemand that each temporalprocess has to be explained
in terms of entropy. iii)Thermodynamic entropymust not be confused withinformational entropies, i.e.,complexity measures. iv)
None of them is sufficient
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
101/143
to explain biologicalorganization. The same
applies to the explanation ofdisorganization in aging.Indeed, both types ofentropy may decrease withage. v) Theories that
explain aging as a decliningsequence of minimalentropy production states,are not well founded inthermodynamics.Organisms do not live instates of minimal entropyproduction. Decliningentropy production is a
consequence but not thecause of an age-dependentdecline in metabolicactivity. Aging is a functionof self-maintenance which
varies between species and
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
102/143
was set by evolution but notby thermodynamic laws. vi)
The effect of free energyavailability on aging is nottransmitted by entropy. vii)The overall entropyproduction of an organism
indicates its activity, but isnot a useful measure ofefficiency. The P/O-ratio(rate of ADPphosphorylation per oxygenconsumption) does notseem to declinesignificantly with age. viii)Aging involves all aspects
of life. Neither life noraging can be explainedsufficiently by a single stateparameter such as entropy.Minute changes in a
regulatory part may cause
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
103/143
large, positive or negativechanges in entropy and
entropy production of theentire system. ix)Bioenergetics, i.e., theresearch on regulation ofand by free energy, should
be fit into the framework ofemergent properties of anorganism. Then it willcontribute to theunderstanding of aging".And, I think that, even if theuniversal spatialbackground, the quasi-elementary physical
properties, alltogether withmicro an macro forcesinfluence, would determinethe fundamental laws ofmatter compositionality,
and, therefore, would lie at
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
104/143
base of all forms of posiblematerial existence, and if
microscopic events wouldlie at the base ofmacroscopic entropicprocesses, if entropy wouldhave a fundamental
influence towarddeterioration of allmicroscopic existents,however explanation of aspecific deterioration ofcertain class of existents,aging of living sistems,would involve alsoconditions related to their
specific body arhitecture,and this would mean that,realy, entropy neither havea sufficient and may beneither a necessary role in
the bioaging explanation.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
105/143
Appear the folowingquestion: 'really living
organism cannot elude theprocess of entropy?' or'have entropy a necessarysenectogen efect/influencein every moment of life?' At
least, at the age of breeding,it seem that entropy, in thesense ofdisorganization/disorderincreasing, have not power;and than it is not a absoluteinevitable fenomen;therefore the necessarycondition of human aging
must to be at a morespecific level. The causes ofhuman aging are bothexternal(for, exemple, ROS)and internal (for exemple,
replicative senescence). But
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
106/143
wath about the posibilitycondition/conditions of
aging. It seem thatdestructibility orperishability of human bodyis its first condition ofaging, if aging is
understuded as aprogressive deterioration itis a kind of destruction. Butthis is also posibilitycondition of accidentaldeath. May be thiscondition is too large orthere are multipleconditions that only
together form a agingposibility condition.However, human aging isnot a simple or general formof progressive deterioration;
it involve that some cells to
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
107/143
arrive non-replicative stage,some cells must to
acumulate certainsubstances(lipofuscin,neurofibrilary tangles,senile plaques and others),deterioration of certain
pathways for signaltransmission; the humanaging is more than the sumof celular senescence, butthe interneuronal pathwaysare also parts of body...;human aging is not a simpledeterioration oforganization or is not just
this, it is a progressivedecrease of functionalcapacities wich maysupervene not only onorganizational
deterioration(for exemple,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
108/143
lipofuscin acumulation orquantitative neuronal loss).
A part of aging superveneon organizationaldeterioration and other partscan depend on a functionaldecrease wich is
determinated not only ofbody micropartsorganization deterioration.We must to reduce death toa form of destruction: lifedestruction, at least at thewhole body level. And, wemust to reduce aging at adecrease process, it is a
regressive unidirectionalchange of body. Aging is aspecific change at a higherlevel wich mayemerge/supervene on
multiple microchanges,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
109/143
wich are not all of adeterioration character.
Surely this change is astructural one, but thisstructural change notinvolve just deterioration,but also sediments
acumulation(lipofuscin) orcantitativedecrease(neuronal loss, orloss of viable cells). But,what make posible theseemergent changes? On theone hand, the imperfectionof body: absence of certainregenerative mechanisms
[for anti(telomereshoretening)] , theinsufficience eficiency ofsome preventive, protective,reparative mechanisms(like
those again ROS attack,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
110/143
wich are antioxidantsubstances like: tocoferols,
SOD, ascorbic acid), theabsecence of somemechanisms for eliminationof certainsubstances(lipofuscin) wich
acumulate continuosly inbody, and on the other handcertain cognitiveimperfection/insufficience.We know about areduction/regresion ofhormonal(testosterone,DHEA,melatonin)production in
aging, but wath are itscauses and wath are itscondition of posibility? Inother cases we know aboutthe inexistence of some
mechanism for regulation of
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
111/143
some processes (e.g.,celullar senescence,
apopthosis, arteriescalcification([Judit, 2003;Wick et al 2003]) of wichaction is senectogen on longterm. But, is the eradication
of aging problem suitable tobe solutionated at thegenetic level? I dont belive.The solution of thisproblem involve thinkingand cooperation of someresearchers, consciousinteligences. However,brain arhitecture specificity
is partial geneticalydeterminated ([Delacour1998]), and therefore,certain cognitive capacities(like thinking power) and
their limits are at least
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
112/143
partial geneticalypredestinated, but not
forever and the solution tothe aging eradication is notinborn." In thenature/nurture debate thatstill pervade neuroscience,
Gazzaniga argues in favorof nature, by emphasizingthat nurture alone is notenough to shape brainfunction. He advocates aprominent role formodularity, adaptivespecialization andgenetically driven
mechanisms in theontogenetic/phylogeneticdevelopment of thebrain"(Teixeira 1998).However, I think that the
most general behavioural
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
113/143
actions and attitudes ofindividual life form have
formed a specialzation; thisspecialization maybehave determined a minimalchange at the genetic level;maybe some genetical
changes due to continuoslylearning have accumulatedvery slowly until theapparition of...species. Bothgenetic factors and nurturefactors should be involvedin the explanation of humanmind development. But,with regard to ontogenetic
development of mind, Iagreed with Quartz andSejnowsky: "learning is adynamic interactionbetween a changing,
structured environment and
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
114/143
neural mechanisms. Theneural machinery is
extensively shaped byactivity stemming from theenvironment, while itsintrinsic properties alsoconstrain this modulation
and play an indispensablerole in shaping the resultingstructures "( Quartz, S. &Sejnowski, T.J., 1997). Ithink that, something fromthis structures can begenetically transmited.
The solution to the problem
of eradication of aging,wich is one of the mainprovocation of humanmind, require the moreefficient and the more rapid,
intermediation of human
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
115/143
brain cognitive capacities. Itend to belive and hope that,
the imperfection ofantisenectogen biologicalmechanisms of human bodyor the absence of certaincompensatory means for its
imperfection have as acondition of posibility thepresent human ignorance; Itend to reduce the agingposibility condition to someinsufficience of mind'scognitive states. I believethat we age and die becauseof foolishness. Human
organism was not designedby a conscious inteligence,like a race car. There is noan external entity wich iscall evolution or natural
selection wich act as a
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
116/143
physical force on the livingorganisms. However, there
was and there is a fight forsurvival, reproduction,adaptation, domination,fame, by force, deceptiveconditioning or by a subtle
psychological coercition.Adaptation have not anindependent of contextvalue, it have value onlywhen is necessary forsurvival or for progress.Progress itself is requiredonly when is necessary forsomething, at least for
happiness. The previousproblems can be solved inmultiple ways, wich hadmaded posible theappearance of certain
habits-specializations-
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
117/143
specifications wich laterhave genetically preserved.
If certain species havesurvived until now, thismean that they have somecapacities wich, on the one
hand, advantage theirsurvival posibility, on theother hand, advantage themmuch more in solving ofsome fundamentalproblems(for exemple,reproduction, adaptation,control and manipulation ofminds, comunication, social
organization and orhers).Nobody have selected thesecapacities, but they hadadvantaged much moresome species wich
consequently have imposed
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
118/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
119/143
efects, but because theirnegative efects do not make
imposible their life andbecause organisms thatexperience them canreproduce themselves, havenot superior competitors
and not in least measure duehuman insufficienceinteligence.
Why there is celularsenescence and apoptosis?Why exist aging?Supporters of evolutionarytheory of aging propose the
concept of antagonisticpleiotropy for explanationof aging origin. Inconformity withevolutionary theories
(Williams 1954), senecence
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
120/143
is geneticalypredeterminated and
senescence efectors geneswas selected by evolution,by an accidental processnondirectionted towardaging per se, because, on
the one hand, theyadvantage theirreproductive activity, on theother hand, the force ofnatural selection decreaseafter the post-reproductiveage. Therefore, inconformity evolutionarytheories, the root-cause of
aging is natural selection,that is selection resultedafter the fight, competition,for survival and for theextension of terrestrial
regions domains and of
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
121/143
alternative species. Thisfight had as a consequence
the disparition of some non-senescent species, though itis not know evidence thatwould be ever existedsuperior species, like
mammals, non-senescent,and about fact that theywould dominated by thesenecent species. But, thereexist also thinkers wichthink differently. Thus,Clark conider that recentgenetic analysis about thesenescence fundamental
mechanisms, and of geneswich underdetermine them,are remarcably similar inevery eukariot organismstudied, wich is hardly
consistent with an independ
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
122/143
acumulation of mutationswith harmful character in
late life of eukariotsevolutionary history. Clarkpropose, in the place ofgradualy accidentalyaccumulation though the
big periods of time, thethesis in conformity withwich almost every geneticelements of senescence---genes wich determinesenescence(senescenceeffector genes) and thosewich it opose to their efects(senescence resistor
genes)---have beenestablished after short time,or in some cases evenbefore, the eukariotsemergency from their
prokariots antecestors and
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
123/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
124/143
evolutionary theory ofaging have too litle succes
in imagination of someproper mechanism by wichDNA to induce plannedsenescence([Eremia]).
3. Towards eradication ofaging: A philosophicalstrategy
We should not to forget thatthat the final aim ofgerontological research is a
practical one: eradication ofaging. In this sense,research must be guided,organizated towardrealisation of this aim. But
it is needed a first
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
125/143
strategical idea concerningthe realization or
progression towarderadication of aging. I thinkthat we can divide the agingposibility conditions in twosets:
those aging posibilityconditions concerningimperfection ofbody'mechanisms forregeneration, prevention oflesions(for DNA andmembrane damage due
ROS etc.), or concerningthe absence of someinerent mechanisms wichis also necessary forradical eliminaton of
aging. We can call this
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
126/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
127/143
Elimination of conditions ofaging posibility implies
eradication of the processof aging.
But, eradication of thecondition of posibility of
aging can be multiplerealisable(e.g., freezerreduce efects of aging etc.).
From the set of all posibleways of eradication of allthe conditions of posibilityof aging we must to selectonly those ways wich do
not stop life, if there aresuch ways.We should to conceive theconditions of the posibility
of aging in relations with
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
128/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
129/143
have its proper agingtraiectory([Eremia 1997
,p.126]). However, all celltypes have their first originin an one single egg cell.First egg cell divissiongenerate a celular
multiplicity. Each cell havea finit number of the samegenes. By repression andexpression certain genesdifferentiate the organismdifferent susystems cells:nervous system's cells,muscle's cells, bone's cellsetc. On the other hand, all
celullar types [prokariotsand eukariots] have ceratincommon features: celullarmembrane, DNA,cytoplasm, and ribosomes.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
130/143
Even between humanbody's cells there are some
similarities. For exemple,neurons have in commonwith other cells of humanbody some capacities orprocesses:
celular membrane.nucleus.genes.cytoplasm.mitochondria.celular organeles.protein synthesis.energy production.
On the fundamentalmechanisms of senescence,Eremia select the folowingtheories:
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
131/143
theory of senescence as aresult of genetic
instability. But wath arethe posibility conditions ofgenetic instability. It isposible somehoweliminate them? Or would
be posible to repair thelesions of genetic level.
theory of senescence bysomatic mutations.
theory of senescence as aresult of the deregulationof transcription andtranslation processes.What are the posibility
conditions of thisderegulation. It is posiblefor us to control thisregulation?
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
132/143
theory of senescence dueacumulation of metabolic
waste products.theory of senescence by
mitochondrialdeterioration.
theory of senescence by
water loss.
However, aging at thehighest level, behavioural,depend on the aging ofdifferent organs; but it isposible that the aging ofeach organ depend not onlyon the its celullar
senescence but also by theother organs aging; and theorgan aging depend also byits quantity and itsstructural/functional/dynam
ical properties. That is,
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
133/143
aging aspects are bothgeneral and specific.
Maybe, a strategical planwould towards eradicationof aging have to start with
investigation of behaviouralmanifestations of aging, asage-dependent decline ofcognitive performance, atthe all organs and systems(CNS, muscular system,boned system, vascularsistem, digestive system,respiratory sytstem,
imunitar system,reproductive system etc)level; Investigation ofaging at celular, in general,is not enough, tough
research of aging and its
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
134/143
posibility conditions atgeneral structural-
functional celular patern isnecessary, but issufficient? There are someresearchers that explainthe decline of cognitive
performance, as memory,not by loss of neuronalcells or by majordeterioration of neuronalproperties but bydeterioration of certainsignaling pathways; isorganism more than cells?it maybe that pathways are
not made of cells? Thisfirst step would makeposible the next step.
establishing of aging causes
at each level: the general
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
135/143
causes of celularsenescence, special causes
of special cells senescence,the causes of aging at theorganic or systemic level,the causes of aging at theintersystemic or
interorganic level, causesof aging at behaviourallevel. Aging must todepend both ofinterdependence betweenorgans, systems, and alsoon the specificity of cells,on the specificity of organarhitectures, and on the
certain posibilityconditions. It is posiblethat at each level to be alsoposibility conditions ofaging?
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
136/143
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
137/143
most loved dream of man:the dream of youth without
old age...and of life withoutdeath.
REFERENCES
Beaufret, J.: 1999, Lectii defilosofie, vol.2, EDITURAAMARCORD, Timisoara.
Bourgeois, J.P., Goldman-Rakic, P.S. & Rakic, P.:1994,Synaptogenesis in the
prefrontal cortex of rhesusmonkeys. Cerebral Cortex4:78-96.
Block. N.:Antireductionism
Slaps Back, internet..
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
138/143
Clark R. W.:Reflections on
an unsolved problem ofbiology: evolution of agingan death, internet.
Coltescu, V.: 2002, Istoria
filosofiei, EdituraUniversitatii de Vest 1900Timisoara, Romania.
Del Re G.: 1998,Ontological Status ofMolecular Structure, HYLE,vol.4, No.2, p.81-103.
Delacour, J.: 2001,Introducere in neurostiintelecognitive , Polirom,Romania.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
139/143
Teixeira, J.:1998, Rewiv ofGazzaniga's The maind's
past, in internet.
Gold, I.&Stoljar,D.:1999,Aneuron doctrine in thephilosophy of neuroscience,
Brain and BehaviouralSciences, on internet freearchive, unpagined.
Eremia, D.: 1996, StructurileVii sub Presiunea Timpului,Editura ALL, Bucuresti,Romania.
Fetzer, H.,J.: 2002,Propensities andFrequences: Inference to thebest explanation,Synthese,132.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
140/143
Halonen I. and Hintikka J.:1999, Unification - It's
Magnificent but is itExplanation?,Synthese, 120,27-47.
Hayflick L.: 1983, Theories
of aging, in Fundamentalsof Geriatric medicine eds.R.D.T. Cape, R.M. Coe andJ.Rossman Raven Press, NewYork 1983, 43-50.
Medvedev Z.A.:1990, Anattempt at a rationalclasification of theories of
aging, Biol. Rev., 65, 375-398.
Quartz, S. & Sejnowski, T.J.(1997). The neural basis of
cognitive development: A
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
141/143
constructivist manifesto.Behavioral and Brain
Sciences 20 (4): 537-596.
Ruud van den Bos:2000,General Organizational
Principles of the Brain as Key to
the Study of AnimalConsciousness,PSYCHE, 6(5).
Schurz G.:1999, Explanationas unification,Synthese 120:95-114.
Tarazona R., Solana R.,Ouyang Q., PawelecG.:2002,Basic biology and
clinical impact ofimmunosenescence,Experimental Gerontology,37, 183-189.
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
142/143
Tudosescu, I.: 1997,Metafilosofie, Editura
Fundatiei ,,Romania deMaine"Bucuresti, Romania.
Vacariu G., Dalia T., VacariuM.: 2001, Toward A very
Ideea of Representation,Synthese, 129, 275-295.
Wick G., Bergera P., Durra-Jansen P., Grubeck-LoebenS.: 2003,A Darwinian-evolutionary concept of agerelated diseases,Experimental Gerontology,
vol.38.
Williams C.G.: 1957,Pleiotropy,NaturalSelection, and the Evolution
8/14/2019 Www.referat.ro 0Towards.doc3cb46
143/143
of Senescence, MichinganUniversity Press.
Powered by http://www.referat.ro/
cel mai complet site cu referate