X-Message-Number: 17856
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 10:19:05 -0500
From: "Stephen W. Bridge" <>
Subject: Re: Prize (#17851)

From Steve Bridge
November 6, 2001

Re: Message #17851
From: 
Subject: Prize
Date: Mon, 05 Nov 2001 18:56:28 +0000

>I am considering setting up a prize of $1 million to the 
>group or individual that achieves the first reversible 
>cyropreservation.

<snip>

>While I personally will not be able to fund a $1 million 
>prize for many years, I might want to set up the fund 
>and open it up for contributions earlier.
>
>What do you think?
>
>Robert Moore

Robert, I think it is a waste of your energy.  Typically, these kinds of
prizes are useful in circumstances where technical know-how is already
available, similar research is being conducted already, and little
motivation otherwise exists for researchers to focus on some specific
problem.  The prize offer creates publicity which provides an opportunity
for researchers to examine the new problem.  Even then, people look at the
new problem slowly and cautiously, since *no research money* is being
offered; only a prize which might pay back researchers someday for all they
money they would have to spend to achieve the prize..

Problems here:

1.  One million dollars is not as big a deal as it used to be.  It will
likely cost tens of millions of dollars to achieve your goal.  One million
dollars will probably not interest anyone who is not already motivated.  It
is a romantic number but not a practical one.

2.  One million dollars in *research* funds used in the right way today is
much more needed and would achieve a lot more.  The sum total of research
funds being spent on various forms of biostasis for humans is still no more
than a couple of million dollars a year.  We are still beginning a
"cryonics research industry."  We (I mean cryonics in general, not any
particular group) need more equipment, experienced and educated personnel,
lab assistants, research space, chemicals, computers ... everything.  We DO
have a few dedicated people, but they are motivated by thoughts of
personnel survival.  A prize being offered in the distant future will not
motivate them to do more.  They *already* want to do more, but cannot
afford it.

3.  You don't *have* one million dollars.  So you don't have anything to
offer but a promise.  I have met many people who told me that they would be
rich someday.  They are not.  Most of the well-to-do people I know got
there in ways they did not predict, often because of the second or third
business venture they took on.  We all know people in the computer industry
who were very rich -- for a while.   Researchers are not going to be
motivated by your promise to someday have a million dollars to give to
them.  Maybe you will, maybe you won't.  Maybe you will, but will change
your mind in what you want to do with it by the time it is actually there. 


4. If you want to do some good for cryonics research today, give research
funds to your favorite organization, push the organization to use the funds
effectively, and convince other people to donate funds.  That will be a
much better use of your time.  Worrying about the details of how to decide
who might win a non-existent prize is a total time-waster.

Steve Bridge

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