X-Message-Number: 5762
From: 
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 13:38:26 -0500
Subject: "premortem" 

Brad Templeton (#5749) strongly advises against any cryonics organization
becoming involved in any way with suicide or pre-mortem suspension. I think
his analysis is a bit over-simplified. Risks depend sensitively on conditions
and specifics. 

E.g., it would be one thing to freeze someone with little or no history or
background of cryonics involvement; it would be another to freeze someone in
my family.

How about this scenario: Someone with a (perhaps painful and grossly
degenerative) terminal illness wants to end his current phase of life, in a
state where suicide is not illegal (but assisting suicide might be illegal,
or might be in a gray area). He is physically and mentally/emotionally
capable of giving himself the pill or injection or whatever; the problem is
autopsy. He consults with the coroner and local police, provides background
on his condition and wishes, provides medical corroboration of his mental
competence, invites the coroner and police to be present at time of
deanimation, and asks for their promise not to interfere or to require
autopsy.  Seems like a possibility to me.

And of course there is the "quiet" route that many already take--i.e., death
occurs with tacit medical cooperation  in a setting where the patient can
(say) give himself a little too much analgesic and no one will know or
investigate. 

The main safety feature in any case is that initiative should be taken and
arrangements made by the patient and family, not the cryonics organization.
The organization will merely be informed by the family that death, in their
opinion, is imminent.

Robert Ettinger


Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=5762