X-Message-Number: 23559
From: "Robin Helweg-Larsen" <>
Subject: Re: 'Miracle' boys defy death under the ice
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2004 22:23:56 -0500

It's relevant because it deals with the best current manifestation of the
crux of the 'what is death?' discussion.

To be able to quote a factual example like this is hellpful in reframing
discussions about 'death', 'soul' and 'reanimation'.

Best wishes for a long life,

Robin HL


> TWO boys who were clinically dead for more than an
> hour after falling
> through ice into a frozen lake in Austria have been
> brought back to life.

I don't profess to fully understanding the technology
underlying cryonics, so correct me if I'm wrong but
... does this story really have anything to do with
cryonics?

Every once in while I see an article like this posted
to Cryonet. The poster usually appears to be trying to
provide information that supports the idea of cryonics
and give us all reason for optimism. But I fail to see
what these low-temperature clinical death stories have
to do with cryonics. After all, when I deanimate I'm
not going to be reanimated by some paramedic's attempt
to resuscitate me. The fact that mammals can survive
the temperatures described in the story above seems to
me to have little to do with our ability to survive
the temperatures used in cryonic suspensions.

It's not that I lack optimism. I just don't like the
idea that stories like this may mislead others and
represent only false hope.

Best regards,

=====
Scott Badger, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Idaho

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