X-Message-Number: 24824
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 23:04:00 -0700
From: Mike Perry <>
Subject: Immortality versus long but finite life

Bruce Klein (#24820) comments on an article by Ben Best that raises some 
difficulties with the idea of living forever and wanting to do so. Bruce 
suggests that, despite any difficulties, we need to strive for true 
immortality because "when people die, there's nothing." Perhaps he means 
simply that there is no afterlife, but I would just say that *if* permanent 
oblivion ever comes, then there's nothing (tautologous, yes, but true) so 
my hopes rest on this *not* occurring. To me it seems meaningful and 
exciting to be hoping for immortality and acting accordingly, rather than 
accepting a substitute goal such as a very long life followed by eventual 
but unending unconsciousness. I think this attitude inspires my efforts in 
cryonics in a way that could not happen otherwise--I do better work. In the 
forthcoming issue of *Physical Immortality* I have an article on 
"deconstructing deathism" where I address some of the issues others have 
raised in attempts to show that immortality either would be physically 
impossible or undesirable.

Mike Perry

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=24824