X-Message-Number: 1637 From: (Thomas Donaldson) Subject: Re: cryonics: #1627-#1633 (2/2) Date: Sun, 17 Jan 93 18:53:45 PST Hi again: Re Charles Platt's comments. The first thing I would say is that I was focusing solely on 2 propositions: that we should not mention "immortality" and that we should not mention "neurosuspension". OF COURSE we want to put our message in persuasive terms, etc, etc. Now if Charles wants to talk to people privately, he has far more control over what they hear and see. And yes, in that case he may well be able to get to the "hard parts" later. HOWEVER I was not focusing on that kind of case (though I would be the first to say that it can be the most effective). I was focusing on the case of someone -- YOU --- asked to give an interview about cryonics. And in that case you have to deal with someone else who has every ability to bend the conversation to THEIR will, not your own. And its been my experience, both here and in Australia (where I gave a great many interviews when I lived there) that these 2 issues will inevitably come up. All psychology aside, a certain sensitivity to the person with which you are talking becomes important. I hardly claim perfection in that respect; but I've met people who need to be eased into cryonics, and others who want the "whole truth and nothing but the truth", at once. And if I raise those issues of immortality or neurosuspension, I never do so BALDLY, without explanation. Yes, we AIM at immortality, but that is an asymptote that we will by definition never reach; and yes, we do arrange for neuropreservation, I am myself signed up for neuropreservation-- because it costs far less, has turned out less risky, and we have very good reasons to believe (here I mention studies of development) that someday, before we even awaken, our revivers will know how to make our head grow another complete body. And I too would like to hear from Brenda about her own ideas --- and not just on this particular issue. Best, Charles, and a long long life, Thomas -- Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1637