X-Message-Number: 6590
Date:  Tue, 23 Jul 96 12:32:26 
From: Mike Perry <>
Subject: re Prometheus

Paul Wakfer (#6589) writes, regarding my recent pledge of $1,000 per 
year to the Prometheus Project:

>Mike, I figured that you would come through if you possibly could, but
>I really don't know how you're going to manage it with what you make.

Makes it sound as if I deserve some sort of Widow's Mite Award ;-). 
Actually, the pledge amount is order of 10% (a tithe) of my 
present income, a relatively modest sacrifice. I do hope this project 
gets off the ground and, of course, achieves something that can 
benefit us all.

Some concerns have been raised that funnelling money 
into Prometheus may detract from other worthwhile research in 
cryonics. But I expect an opposite effect. There are people in 
cryonics now who could afford to fund the Prometheus Project and have 
plenty left over for other things--including other cryonics research. 
When (if) the purse strings are loosened, I expect more funding to 
become available for other projects too.

As for Brian Wowk's idea of 
vitrifying the brain in vivo and warming it to demonstrate full 
recovery of function, well it sounds farfetched to me too (along with 
Keith Lynch) but I don't think the whole project will hinge on this 
one accomplishment. The scientific plan that gets adopted should 
provide a reasonably  broad-based approach. Certainly there 
are some things we'd like to achieve that, however attractive, may 
prove too hard--we might give these a try but we don't want to go 
overboard.

With reasonable management we won't be in a position of trying
to put all our eggs in a few, inaccessible baskets.  We can then
expect, as a minimum, knowledge leading to significant improvements in 
cryonic suspension protocols, greater public awareness and acceptance of 
cryonics, and greater all-around interest in cryonics-related research.
These I think would follow even if the primary goal of demonstrated, 
reversible brain cryopreservation is not achieved--and we need to 
face this possibility along with the more optimistic ones. Also, I 
would think that even if the primary goal proves elusive we will 
still make significant progress in its direction--which will 
translate to increased interest and desire to fund more research.

So overall I'm optimistic about Prometheus. The idea that no money 
will change hands until both the business and scientific plans are 
approved by the pledger is a good one, and lends confidence that the 
whole effort, if it goes forward, will not be wasted.

Mike Perry

http://www.alcor.org


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