X-Message-Number: 16585
Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 21:43:46 -0700
From: Olaf Henny <>
Subject: Without Premises 2, 3 and 4 life may not be valuable to live
References: <>

In Message #16568 George Smith  <> wrote
concerning David Pizer s four premises:

1. Why life is valuable to live;
2. Why biological immortality is apt to come along soon;
3. Why cryonics might provide a vehicle to that future time.
4. Why the future will be a great place to be.

>David, I think that your other three areas are excellent but I honestly have
>come to believe that anyone who needs to have #1 explained is doing us all a
<BIG favor by choosing death.  Until we can come to install mental health
>(something I believe WILL become possible in time), I truly consider the
>many, many people who NEED arguments for #1 to have an acute and terminal
>case of mental illness, by definition.

Most who consider cryonics on a casual basis see it as follows:

At age 75 I will finally succumb to cancer.  They will freeze me
and, if lucky, thaw me out after 100 years.  Then I will live
another 5 years as a stranger in a strange land and at subjective
age 80 I will die of a failing heart.  So what's the point?

George, you do not have to be mentally ill to reject that
scenario.  As a matter of fact, I see the "so-what s-the point"
conclusion, based on it, as very rational and healthy one.  One
of our challenges is to get somebody to listen long enough to
convey the *whole* story; -  and to do that without duct tape and
a sturdy chair. :)

Without premises 2., 3. and 4. Life may NOT always be valuable
to live.

Best,
Olaf

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