X-Message-Number: 22644
From: "John de Rivaz" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re: a safe haven for cryonics?
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 11:03:34 +0100

Over the period likely to be required before reanimations are possible
legislatures may well change their views. As I have said previously, a lot
of this depends on whether individuals with power decide that their personal
careers or financial positions can be improved by attacking cryonics. If
these individuals also have persuasive ability, such as Stalin or Hitler,
then whatever the logic cryonics can be wiped out in their country. Just as
a supernova can explode in a galaxy and bathe it in life destroying
radiation, so can such an individual appear in any legislature anywhere.
Therefore no one country is intrinsically safer than any other over long
time periods.

For the survival of the concept of cryonics, all that is needed is for
technological progress to continue. If the universe supports the concept,
eventually the total of human knowledge will contain this fact.

The survival of individuals now cryopreserved is a rather different matter.
Their best chance may well lie in designing cryonics institutions so that
there is little financial or career advantages to be obtained in attacking
them.

Nevertheless, if there are two cryonics facilities near to each other
geographically yet in different legislatures, this could be helpful, but
whether dewars with patients inside could really be shipped across
international borders with one legislature unwilling is practicable is
another matter.

Smuggling was never popular with authorities, for example
see http://homepage.ntlworld.com/quantium/prussia-cove/carter.htm to read on
line a contemporary account of went on in Cornwall in the late eighteenth
century. The author was also aware of his mortality, which he discusses in
the article. Without cryonics to turn to he took up Methodism :-)

-- 
Sincerely, John de Rivaz:  http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including
Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley
Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy,  Nomad .. and
more

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