X-Message-Number: 18492
From: 
Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 14:17:00 EST
Subject: re 18486 Memory and Survival..

I would certainly agree that memory does not constitute all there is about a 
person's identity, not by a long shot.  There seems to be a much more 
important yet undefined biologic basis for identity.  I was thinking the 
other day, wondering about future possible cryonic resuscitation- and came up 
with a logic puzzle.

Assume you were suspended and restored. While you were awaiting suspension, 
your doctor attempted to stop your suspension.  Turns out although you had 
discussed it with him, he was secretly religious and lied to you, and thought 
you would be much happier in heaven.  His deceit was nefarious and 
deliberate.  

When you were being revived, it is discovered that there is a strong 
probability that you would be so enraged at your former doctor that you would 
probably attempt to kill him.  

So, the cryonics doctors decide to edit your biologic personality.  When you 
are revived, they explain what happened.  You are upset, but don't feel like 
killing your former doctor.  He's still around, and is still a religious 
person, convinced that you missed a chance at heaven.  Your memories are intac
t, but you are unable to feel the rage your memories tell you you might have 
felt in your previous incarnation.

Some questions:

Did the revival team kill the original you by editing your personality?

Do you believe that you are a new person, and that the original you is now 
dead? If so, do you grieve for the person who died in the past, knowing you 
are not him?

Do you think the revival team did you a favor, and you will now be more 
mentally healthy in the future?

Since you've been very angry in the past, but haven't killed anyone, was the 
revival team mistaken in their belief you might have been driven to homicide?

If they had revived you without editing, would they be responsible if you had 
killed your former doctor?

Since the didn't destroy your memories, but merely edited your potential for 
anger on a biologic or hormonal basis, did they kill you, harm you, help you, 
or just protect their interests?

Would love to hear some thought on this puzzle.  I'm not sure there's an 
answer, but the emotional responses of the people on the list would interest 
me greatly.

on another topics Lord of the Rings Spoiler alert:





The coolest part of Lord of the Rings movie is when Elrond says, "I was 
there, three thousand years ago- I was there the day the strength of men 
failed."

Someday, it will be cool to say something akin to that.... I was there, three 
thousand years ago, when man first set foot on the moon...or something akin 
to that.  What a thrill!

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18492