X-Message-Number: 33337
Subject: Re: An empathetic civilization
From: David Stodolsky <>
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:49:35 +0100
References: <>

On 16 Feb 2011, at 11:00 AM, CryoNet wrote:
> 
> Message #33336
> From: marta sandberg <>
> Subject: An empathetic civilization
> Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:52:47 +0800
> 
> --_258c9826-52aa-4a37-9003-fd4fcbc35d6d_
> 
> 
> 

> This is an interesting illustrated speech.  The bit that got you might find 
most interesting is the middle when it says "There is no empathy in heaven 
because there is no mortality.  Empathy is grounded ion the acknowledgement of 
death and the celebration of life and rooting for each other to flourish and be 
.
> 
> Does that mean we have to live in fear of death to be empathetic?
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7AWnfFRc7g&feature=related
> 
> Long (empathatic)  life,
> 
> Marta


Jeremy Rifkin is a well known popularizer of nonsense.  


The BRA has lately been issuing nonsense about 'overpopulation' and this is 
along that line. 'Overpopulation' is one reason people believe that cryonics is 
immoral. 


Empathy  is not "soft-wired", but hard-wired in the brain, as shown by the work 
on mirror neurons.


The term "consciousness" is so vague as to be useless, without further 
specification of meaning. 


Identification with all human kind is possible, if there is an 'other' beyond 
the human race, since social distinctions are made one level down from the 
'whole' of the social sphere.


The idea of empathy with the creatures of the biosphere is derived from the work
of eco-fundamentalist/fascists that declared that bacteria, etc. should be 
given the same rights as humans. These individuals don't care about human life, 
they want to "Save the Planet."


The idea that there is no empathy without death, contradicts what was said about
mirror neurons. This idea is derived from the work of L. Kass, the Head of 
Bush's Bio-ethics Committee, who argued that mortality is a virtue. 


So all in all, the presentation could hardly be designed to better turn people 
against cryonics. 


dss

David Stodolsky
  Skype: davidstodolsky

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