X-Message-Number: 7006
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: To Mr. Coetzee
Date: Mon, 30 Sep 1996 18:20:57 -0700 (PDT)

Hi!

When you point out what you said about published papers I'm probably one of
those who would AGREE. As for the NEW SCIENTIST reference, I'll get onto
it. 

My problem in evaluating Visser's method comes not with anything general, but
with the fact that I know far less about it than I know about vitrification,
and I've seen various such announcements (and those who make them) pop up 
from time to time and then disappear. Since I put out my message, I have
had a frustrating talk with Hugh Hixon, who could answer a few of my questions.
It is just not enough for someone to testify that he saw it work; I want 
much more information than that. Because I distrust the witness? Well, that
depends on just what you mean by "distrust". I trust Hugh's morality and 
Steve's morality, and that of all the Alcor witnesses. But they are all
human beings, who are not just subject to moral flaws but can misunderstand
and even misperceive --- not because they want to but because human beings
do that. I too can do that, and I would not expect you to simply accept
my word about anything, especially something for which you can get other,
independent information. I would especially expect you to look for confirming
or disconfirming information about something I said if it were important. 

There are actually some languages in which its hard to distinguish between
the statement that someone is lying and the statement that someone is wrong.
I would hope that English has not found itself in that group. And I don't
know anyone who has not sometimes been wrong. Do you?

			Long long life,

				Thomas Donaldson


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