X-Message-Number: 3035
Date: 29 Aug 94 00:46:41 EDT
From: Paul Wakfer <>
Subject: CRYONICS.SCI Apologies to Merkle


     Since I have now been told that the definition of cryonics that was
posted by Ralph Merkle, with no indication that it was NOT his, was, in
fact, not written by him, I extend to him my apologies for criticizing him
for that definition.
     The fact remains, however, that too many postings, articles and other
cryonics communication are being promulgated without very clearly stating
the fact that while there is some reasonable evidence that the necessary
mental information is being preserved, no PROOF of this exists, and thus,
it is by no means certain that any of the memory and other mental faculties
of a cryopreserved patient will ever be restored no matter how advanced the
technology.  The definition of cryonics which I quoted was one such
example.  If one wishes to continue life, it is clearly better to be
cryopreserved than to be buried or burned.  Furthermore, it is very
probable (in my estimation) that given enough time, if technology (nano- or
bio- or whatever) continues to advance (and I, for one, am very optimistic
that it will), those cryopreserved today will be able to be brought back at
least as healthy, young, tabula-rasa humans.
     In my desire to live, what I am frustrated by, are the numbers of
cryonicists who are willing to put much time, money and thought toward the
re-animation problem, when the necessary technology will come about anyway,
if progress continues.  Although it is true that there is some chance that
their efforts may speed things up (very little chance in my estimation) and
enable patient restoration sooner and thus reduce the uncertainties of
lengthy patient storage, these efforts, at least for the patients who will
be cryopreserved with current methods (maybe those cryonicists themselves),
will have been a total waste of time if sufficient mental information is
not being preserved.
     Instead, in my estimation, all logic and rationality, cries out that
we should be putting major efforts into reducing the current preservation
damage, by developing methods of preservation which will, by restoration of
a fully functional mammalian brain, both prove that the cryonics idea can
work, and provide the almost certain means for you and I to keep on living. 
A number of highly intelligent and knowledgeable scientists, including a
leading organ-preservation cryobiologist, believe that this can be done
within 5 years if funding of the amount of $5,000,000 can be obtained (a
paltry sum when compared with the earth-shaking event which it can
accomplish).  There will be plenty of time to do reanimation research and
other futurist endeavors, AFTER, we KNOW we HAVE an excellent chance at a
vastly extended life.
     I, too, am very anxious to get on to other more interesting life
pursuits.  I have already taken 3 years out of my possibly short life to
try to ensure that I have time for all the many, many things that I want to
do.  It was a gamble, but I saw no other choice if I wanted any real chance
to ever do and accomplish all my desires.  And besides, if I succeed (and
cryonics succeeds), what is 3 years out of 1000 or more?  I urge you all to
join with me to ensure, not only that I and many others have not wasted a
major portion of our lives, but most of all that you, and all other humans
who wish to make the choice, can live vastly extended, enjoyable, and
productive lives.

-- Paul Wakfer --

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