X-Message-Number: 12100 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: comments on nanotechnology for CRYONICS Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 23:14:35 +1000 (EST) About nanotechnology and Federal Funding of it: I (contrary to what some may believe) also think that nanotechnology will become very important in the future, and grow in importance with time. However I also would not limit my ideas of what is and what is not nanotechnology to only one particular kind. I notice in particular that the nanotechnology which the US Federal Government proposes to fund does not consist only of that promoted by Dr. Eric Drexler and his followers, but other varieties too (such as the specifically mentioned supramolecular chemistry). I personally think we would be making a very bad mistake if we blithely assumed that only one kind of nanotechnology will let us devise means for revival of damaged suspension patients --- and it's important that there are several other kinds out there, not the least of which is biotechnology and some (growing) branches of chemistry. Furthermore, if the medical use of such nanotechnology was discussed, it's still very unlikely that one medical use proposed for Federal support was the revival of those cryonically suspended by damaging methods. Even if you accept a need for nanotechnology of some kind for revival, it simply does not follow at all that US Federal Funding will move us much closer to it, at least not until (imagine the day! at best only a loooong time from now) cryonics became a major political movement. A large part of the work I've read in scientific journals is devoted to the use of nanotechnology for (surprise!) smaller, faster computers. And such work will very likely succeed. Hooray!!! We'll have smaller faster computers, and still more cryonic suspendees needing repair. WE must support whatever technologies help us improve our suspensions; and someday, WE must support the development of nanotechnologies for repair of those unlucky cryonicists suspended before better means existed, and even afterwards when such better means could not be applied. Best and long long life for all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=12100