X-Message-Number: 8885 Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 01:04:06 -0500 From: "Stephen W. Bridge" <> Subject: Donated bodies research To CryoNet Post From Steve Bridge, Alcor December 3, 1997 In reply to: Message #8878 Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 03:05:05 +0000 (GMT) From: (Randy) Subject: Cryonics fodder for Hollywood yet again Sorry to be off CryoNet for so long. In the past two months I have gotten married, moved into our house together, and gotten a new work position. I have several things to say about recent discussions, and I hope to put together a message this week. First, however, a short reply to Randy Smith. >As I understand it, one of the big problems in cryo-research is >the lack of human subjects that can be cryopreserved and then examined >to test protocol efficacies. >Could cryonicists not find a few subjects willing to donate their >bodies for this purpose (assuming of course that thr body/brain >donors received promises that a proper cremation would follow the >freezing process and none of that evil Frankenstein stuff, either >:-)? >I realize that the vast majority would never go for this, but surely >there would be a few.... Actually, the paperwork involved is very small. The emotions involved are very large. At Alcor we HAVE had brief discussions with a couple of individuals about this possibility, even in conjunction with a medical school or other medical research institute (where the other institution would get final custody of the research donation). One problem seems to be that people who are much interested in cryonics research want to be frozen for *future revival*, not as a subject to be frozen, tested, and discarded. On the other hand, people who are NOT interested in cryonics, but who want to donate their bodies to science, generally want their anatomical donation to go for medical schools or other "humanitarian" purposes. They fail to see the "humanitarian" nature of cryonics (at least partly because we all advertise cryonics as a "save YOUR ass" proposition, not "save someone else's life"). Selfishness is good for some purposes, not so good for others. Perhaps this will change as cryonics becomes more generally accepted and understood as an acting of "life-saving." Then we can say, "Donate your money or your body to save the lives of others." Finally, there is our own emotional reluctance to push this concept very hard. A number of cryonicists, dedicated to saving lives, feel very wrong about taking potentially salvageable brains from people when we WON'T be keeping them frozen for future revival. To many people it seems callused and just plain wrong to benefit from the subjects' deaths. BTW, I understand this reluctance, but do not share it personally. I believe people should have the right to choose death instead of cryonics, even if I think the choice is foolish. And if we can benefit others by that foolish choice, that's fine. Steve Bridge Chairman of the Board Alcor Life Extension Foundation Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8885