X-Message-Number: 667 Date: 01 Mar 92 02:30:25 EST From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: Re: cryonics: #664 - #666 To Keith Henson: As I have said and will say again, your problems do not come from the fact that your nature is biological. They come from your *specific* nature. To believe that by somehow removing ourselves from the "biological" realm will solve them involves a fallacy: so long as we remain ourselves, the material trappings in which we are wrapped will make no difference. Among other points, this is why I have repeatedly paid attention to evolutionary theories of aging: evolution is a form of entropy, would take place among ANY population regardless of their basic structure, and ultimately lead to their aging. This is not to mention all the other problems we are heir to: feebleness of mind (from which slowly or quickly we are evolving now, simply because its advantages have been steadily decreasing), sexual urgings and jealousy (or do you want to castrate yourself?), competition between individuals (no, even nanotechnology will not make EVERYTHING inexpensive), and so on and on. It is not that we are removing ourselves from biology but that we have been increasing our own self-understanding. With that understanding we will see ways around the problems listed --- and many others not listed. But self-understanding (and understanding of the world) will always come hard, because of its fundamental nature. Biochemistry is only the clothing with which these problems wrap themselves. Best wishes, to Keith and all others Thomas Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=667