X-Message-Number: 26866
From: "Kitty Antonik Wakfer" <>
Subject: Anonymity and Cryonics
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 00:22:39 -0400

CryoNet is not an appropriate forum on which to discuss anonymity in general.

Therefore my responses to several individuals here who have used this list to do
so
can be seen at MoreLife Yahoo message # 1086
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/morelife/message/1086

One poster did raise the subject of anonymity in relationship to cryonics.

Anthony (I will assume that Walpurg is his last name)  :
>  "Finally - what of the cryonicists who have requested anonymity? Are
> there any valid reasons for this request, or should it be denied?


First would be best to determine "valid" to whom. If the person who has arranged
for

hir own or another's cryopreservation does not have sufficient confidence in hir
own

decision to defend it against associates and relatives, then that shows a 
weakness in

that person's basic character and/or knowledge of cryonics practices. (I won't 
use

the term "friends" in this context since how can someone who adamantly opposes 
one's

well considered ideas also be a "friend"?) Now maybe it's possible that a person

considers the costs (time and money) to defend oneself legally to be too great 
to

make such arrangements widely known ahead of time. But my response would be that
a

well constructed written public notification of intent and demonstration of 
continued
intention would make legal challenges far less likely.

There's also the very real consideration that anonymity by those who profess 
support
of and desire for cryopreservation weakens the entire move toward acceptance by
others and greater availability (and also legality in this current society of

governments). If those who want cryopreservation don't stand up publicly (with 
clear

identification of themselves) and make this known, how can they expect to really
be

taken seriously by those others who do not (yet) truly understand the scientific
possibilities and longterm happiness potential.

> Is it
> not a person's right to withhold information from others?


The discussion of the concept of "rights" is not part of the discussion of 
anonymity

in cryonics. Anthony and others can read Paul's (and my ideas) on this subject 
in
"Social Meta-Needs: A Radical Basis for Optimal Human Interaction"

http://selfsip.org/fundamentals/socialmetaneeds.html  This essay makes it clear 
that

we neither support the use of physical force to obtain information from 
individuals

nor do we support its use to prevent individuals from obtaining information by 
any

means that do not violate others. See my responses at the referred MoreLife 
Yahoo
post for the general discussion of anonymity.

In regard to cryonics, I don't think in the longrun it benefits the cryonics 
service
providers to allow anonymity by those with whom it has contracts for cryonic

preservations (those still alive) and those who are now in that state. If I were

operating a cryonics service, I would not accept anonymous clients and as a 
client, I

would prefer my cryonics provider to reject all anonymous clients. If the 
acceptance

(and usage) of cryonics does not grow, there will not be enough of a basis of 
people

with interest and financial resources in the future (?50 years or more) to begin
the

task of "return". Nanotechnology should not be thought of as some "savior" that 
will

somehow make all things possible, no matter how little support by people exists.


I do know of one individual who wanted anonymity after his cryopreservation (and

obtained it) but did not conceal his interest or activity in cryonics before his

legal death. From our intimate knowledge of this person, it seems that his 
reason may

have been that he did not want to lend his name as tacit approval of the 
organization

that was used for the procedure and storage. However, I think it would have been
far

better had he made a public statement of his criticisms of that organization 
upon his
contract signing.


**Kitty Antonik Wakfer
MoreLife for the rational - http://morelife.org
Reality based tools for more life in quantity and quality
Self-Sovereign Individual Project - http://selfsip.org
Rational freedom by self-sovereignty & social contracting

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=26866