Interview with Ray Kurzweil

Abstract

Editor's Note: The interview series in Rejuvenation Research is a unique and, I believe, highly valuable feature of the journal, giving readers insights into the thinking and motivation of some of the most influential movers and shakers in the many disciplines— not only scientific ^{1 –5} but also political, ⁶ sociological, ^7,8 ethical, ^9,10 and more— that impinge on the crusade to defeat aging. This issue's interview features an indisputable thought leader in discussions about the future, initially because of his contributions to it and latterly because of his success in predicting it. His skill in estimating the timeframe of particular technological advances, combined with his long-standing interest in that most momentous future advance of all, the defeat of aging, makes him indispensable to the process of communication between the field of biomedical gerontology and the many constituencies that will be affected by progress against aging—a dialogue that, as I ^{11 —19} and others ^{20 –26} have noted recently, is essential if we are to develop effective interventions against aging with all possible speed.