X-Message-Number: 26677
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 23:35:45 -0400
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: CryoNet #26656 - #26660

For Bob Ettinger:

This message is my answer to Bob Ettingers message #26656.

In the literal sense you're quite right when you say that my duplicate
isn't strictly identical in ALL respects to the person I was before.

However if we insist on strict equality, we run into a problem with
cryonic suspension itself. Even if your body and brain are suspended
(rather than, as some say, some record of your brain) the person 
revived won't be identical to the person suspended. I (and you) I'm 
sure would want suspension to preserve whatever is essential to
us.

In this sense, an identical copy of me made (say) 1000 years in the
future would if anything be more like myself than the results of
cryonic suspension. (I must add here, as I've done repeatedly, that
the real issue here is what is possible IN PRACTICE, and I doubt that
1000 years in the future we'll be ABLE to make an identical copy of
anyone living today. No one living today, among other problems, has
written down EVERYTHING about themselves --- not to mention that
any such record will wear away. However since that question has
arisen, I'd have to say that if if if etc then the duplicate would
be ME).

            Best wishes and long long life for all,

             Thomas Donaldson

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