X-Message-Number: 5214
From:  (Brian Wowk)
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
Subject: Re: Mind Uploading -> No revival of cryonics patients
Date: 18 Nov 95 19:27:51 GMT
Message-ID: <>

References: <46q9ef$> 
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In <>  (Brad Templeton) writes:

(material deleted)

>I think cryonics, to work, requires that almost all people be living in
>biological bodies, and that they be dependent on them, so that they work
>to develop repair technology for their own purposes, that as a sideline can
>be used to revive the frozen.

	Brad Templeton desribes a future scenario in which everyone
uploads into a virtual computer space, losing all interest in physical
reality and the technological development required to revive cryonics
patients. 

	I have a number of technical and sociological problems with 
Brad's scenario, but rather than list them I will simply observe that the  
scenario he describes is simply one variation of the classic "Why will
they revive us?" question of cryonics.  Stated in general terms, is
it not likely that the social priorities of a hyperadvanced future
civilization will stray very far from revival of ancient, primitive
life forms like us?  Of course they will.  But we don't need every
intelligent life form on Earth (virtual or otherwise) in the year 2200
to passionately pursue the revival of cryonics patients for cryonics
to succeed.  All we need is one small subset of sufficiently
intelligent creatures to remain committed for this idea to work.

	If there is one thing about the future I am certain of more
than anything else, it is that the future will be DIVERSE.  It will
be filled with entities and ideas spanning a broader range of interests
than we can possibly imagine today.  Just as it is our challenge to
physically maintain our patients, it is also our challenge to maintain
and nurture the ideas and values that will make revivals of patients
possible in the distant future.  These values-- love, loyalty, empathy,
respect --are very personal, and very powerful.  I would never  
knowingly "upload" (or otherwise fundamentally change my nature)
in such a way that I would lose my desire to see my friends and
loved ones revived.  I hope that my children (and their children, and
their children...) will feel the same way, and that there will always
be room in the world for these values.  If so, then cryonics
can still work in a future world where prevailing social interests
depart radically from those today. 

---Brian Wowk 


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