X-Message-Number: 3275
From:  (David Stodolsky)
Subject: CRYONICS: Brain backup
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 94 10:58:54 +0100 (MET)

Brian Wowk <> writes:
>           Now you know why brain backup and uploading are an 
> intellectual fascination for cryonicists, but not a practical one.  
[snip]
>         Actually 10,000 Joules per kg is 10,000 Gray (not rads) which
> equals 1,000,000 rads!  A fatal dose indeed.

This applies a more stringent criteria for brain imaging, than for
cryonic suspension. If you accept the criterion of information theoretic
death, then the fact that a fatal dose of radiation is applied is
irrelevant. The freezing damage with cryonic suspension is also
"fatal". 

Both methods rely upon yet to come reconstructive technology. With
brain backup the wait for the reconstructive technology is likely
to be longer, but the chance of information loss during that wait
is virtually nil. This can not be said for cryonic suspension, as
recent discussion concerning the success of cryonic suspension companies
has illustrated. If the major risk in suspension is social/business
failure, which I think most people agree is the case, then the backup
method is much more reliable.

Like it or not, we do not have agreement at this time on even what
form of social organization is appropriate for a suspension organization.
Until progress is made in this area, any form of suspension is less
likely to succeed, and a method that requires care, without more than a few
month break, for centuries is much more likely to fail.

The brain backup option can be explored independent of progress in
cryonics, and as such it represents a valuable path. Even without
a practical implication, it represents a solid theoretical alternative,
which can be used as an existence proof. Merkel's work has already
show this. Unfortunately, his approach illustrates that there is currently
a very high financial barrier to brain backup. However, it shows how
to convert a physiological problem into an information processing
problem. This is a major advance since the rational person can no
longer say, "it can not work", only "it is too expensive".

David S. Stodolsky, PhD               Internet: 
Peder Lykkes Vej 8, 4. tv.      (C)         Tel.: + 45 32 97 66 74
DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark                Fax: + 45 32 84 08 28

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