X-Message-Number: 14737
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 12:51:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ruthanna R Gordon <>
Subject: Thawing the Cold Equation

<On Thu, 19 Oct 2000 John Grigg wrote>
> 
> Lee Corbin wrote:
> But let me illustrate the moral concern that you have raised
> with another story:
> 
> Suppose that in some awful future, the last truck leaving Phoenix
> has room for only four dewars.  But there still remain five frozen
> patients who need rescue.  Who should be left behind?  The most
> recently signed up?  The eldest?  The youngest?
> 
> The correct answer to this question, is, WE WILL FIND A WAY TO
> TAKE ALL FIVE.  PERIOD.
> 
> (In the same way, I would find a way to keep as many instantiations
> of myself alive as I could.)
> (end)
> 
> Lee, ever read the tragic science fiction shortstory called "The Cold 
> Equation" which gave no way out but one for a horrific situation?  I 
> recommend it to everyone.

As do I.  It's a brilliant literature.  The writer's moral, that nature is
unforgiving and sometimes you just don't have a choice, makes for
wonderful tragedy.

The real moral is that nature is unforgiving, and *if you don't plan ahead
for it* sometimes you just don't have a choice.  The government
backgrounding the story could have made contingency plans or spent a bit
of extra money and saved the whole situation.  Of course, that would have
made a lousy story.  Since we don't live in a story or a moral parable
ourselves, I'd like to ask:  what sort of evacuation plans *do* the
various cryonics organizations have?  Do we have enough trucks?  I can't
find the answer on the Alcor or CI sites, and I think other people besides
myself might be curious.

Long Life,
Ruthanna Gordon


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