X-Message-Number: 16381
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 15:50:55 -0400
From: Jeffrey Soreff <>
Subject: Re: choice

Charles Platt wrote:
>This absolutism is very strange to me. All I want is the right to make a
>choice. If I can defy my biological heritage and destiny, defeat death,
>copy my intelligence into a computer, or use any other strategy to achieve
>transcendence, I claim that right. If I find that life is intolerable and
>I wish to end it, because I am in intolerable pain, or am suffering from
>locked-in syndrome, or some other condition that induces fear and misery,
>I claim the right to end my life.

>This is a very consistent attitude. It simply says that I have more
>authority than the state, the church, or any other entity, when it comes
>to my existence or nonexistence. This is the reason I became involved in
>cryonics, and is also the reason why I believe any compassionate system
>should allow (but not promote) euthanasia, just as it should allow life
>extension or human cryopreservation.

Entirely agreed.  I too value individual autonomy.  Personally,
longevity is not directly an end in itself, but a means towards
maximizing my enjoyment of my life.  Depending on circumstances,
optimizing for this goal might entail any of the options you list,
so I want them all available.  Barring circumstances where it is
completely unavoidable (e.g. coma), I certainly don't want anyone
else imposing choices on me!
                                   Best wishes,
                                   -Jeffrey Soreff

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