X-Message-Number: 5569
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
From:  (Brad Templeton)
Subject: Neuro vs. Full Body
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 02:47:15 GMT
Message-ID: <>

References: <4ch85p$> <4cvua6$> 
<> <>

In article <>, Will Ware <> wrote:
>Brad Templeton () wrote:
>: *somewhat* riskier than full-body, but much cheaper.  (It also may be less
>: risky in some ways too, but the factors are quite different.)
>
>I remember reading that neurosuspension is actually the safer route to go
>(if you're prepared to assume the future will have advanced technologies,
>and if your're not, then why even bother) because when you suspend an
>entire body, there are tradeoffs in the suspension of the brain in order
>to get the rest of the body to cool smoothly. Neurosuspensions allow for
>better preservation of the brain, which seems to be the whole idea.

I have renamed the thread because this is not the topic I was after,
but I want to make the following points:

	a) You can't assume the future will have any given advanced technology.
	   Just that it will have some, notably medical repair nano and
	   revival nano based on that.

	b) There are cooling trade-offs, but what if you simply favour the
	   brain as much as possible, saying, "it's ok if there is
	   damage in my leg in order to get my brain to cool better

	c) One reason for full body is the belief that there is a fair
	   bit of information in the body, nervous system information,
	   including things such as fine motor control.  Even if the
	   organs are damaged, the nerves may be worth it.  I think actually
	   that neuro should include the spinal cord.  Break the bones if
	   you have to to coil it up, but preserve it.


Anyway, this is a fine argument for well versed cryonicists.  It is not,
I have found, a good one to have with the lay public.

When I first got interested in Cryonics, my first reaction was,
	"Why not?" if:
		a) You are a materialist or view that the soul might
		   reincarnate in a repaired body, and
		b) You are wealthy enough to risk the money, or
		c) Enough of (b) to be willing to take a chance on (a).

But there are a lot of people who have the wealth and who believe the brain
is the complete, material seat of the mind.   But there are few who
want to try cryonics.

So I've asked people about it.  Answers I get are:


	1) Revival technology is impossible or so improbable it's not worth it.

	2) Who wants to live forever?  Death is the natural end of life,
	don't fight it.

	3) Who wants to wake up in a strange new world, broke and knowing
	nobody?  I would rather stay dead.

	4) These people are kooks, I mean freezing just your head?

	5) I believe the mind/soul lies outside the body, and has a
	destination after death

	6) I fear the revival may be botched, trapping me in a living hell


Cryonicists should do what they can about these.  You can't do much
about many of them -- some of them might even be true.  But #4 is the
one that can be worked on.
-- 
Brad Templeton, publisher, ClariNet Communications Corp.	 
The net's #1 E-Newspaper (1,160,000 paid sbscrbrs.)  http://www.clari.net/brad/


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