X-Message-Number: 29671
From: "John de Rivaz" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re:Acculturation
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 10:42:50 +0100

At least those reanimated should appear with some understanding of things 
like reading and writing. Their IT skills will be out of date, but probably 
operating what the Internet and computers will have evolved into will 
require no more skill that talking to someone.

There is a possible problem inasmuch as the language spoken by everyone will 
have changed, (think: an English speaking time traveller visiting a few 
hundred years in the past)  but this may well be dealt with as part of the 
actual reanimation. (ie the sci fi literary convenience of people thinking 
they are speaking English when really they are speaking an alien language.)

As far as keeping up with history and culture, it would an analogous to 
children being taught history at school, I should have thought. At school, 
6000 years with emphasis on the last 1000 is taught over five years. 
Considering that the reanimated person will not have been under 
cryopreservation for anything like that long the problem doesn't seem so 
bad.

Indeed if language is "inserted" into the reanimated brain, knowledge of the 
past can be likewise added.

Other problems may be over activities that are today considered acceptable 
may break cultural mores in the future. Keeping small animals as cuddly pets 
is a likely candidate, even though some scientists argue that cats and dogs 
chose humans as companions rather than the other way round. George Orwell's 
1884 has a lot to say on this sort of thing, with its constantly changing 
"figures of hate" and national enemies. In a way, proposed restrictions 
against climate change can be seen as part of this process. As such they are 
an improvement from campaigns of hate against other nations or groups of 
people.

-- 
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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