X-Message-Number: 4413 Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 08:06:50 -0700 (PDT) From: "Joseph J. Strout" <> Subject: Re: CryoNet #4409 - #4412 I understand that uploading is getting tiresome for many readers of this list. It has been here mainly because there is no other forum for it. (I tried to start a newsgroup about six months ago, but it died of administrative complications.) As Eugene suggested, I hope to be starting a dedicated mailing list (or possibly two, to separate the science from the philosophical arguments) in a few months. When and if that happens, an announcement will be made here. However, I feel I must offer a counterpoint to the suggestion (made by several people now) that uploading tempts people away from cryonics. For me, the exact opposite was true. It was only after I had worked through the basic principles of uploading that I realized there was some hope for cryonics patients. My first reaction was, "I'll be damned -- those crazy cryonicists may actually be right." I was (and remain) skeptical about the power of nanotechnology to cure all ills. There are probably those out there who feel the same; to them, uploading provides a more plausible scenario of how they might someday be revived. And again, uploading will not be developed in our lifetimes, except maybe for the most primitive organisms. Even if it was known to be available in 50 years, young people would still need to sign up for cryonics against the possibility of early disease, heart attack, accident, etc. If someone is serious about extending their lifespan (by any means), they will sign up. ,------------------------------------------------------------------. | Joseph J. Strout Department of Neuroscience, UCSD | | http://sdcc3.ucsd.edu/~jstrout/ | `------------------------------------------------------------------' Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=4413