X-Message-Number: 9095
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 09:14:25 -0800
From: "Joseph J. Strout" <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #9085

In Message #9085, Berrie Staring writes:

>"Real-Transhumanism" RTH
>Real as in, not so out of this world type of future
>predictions. So, e.g.: yes, body modification.
>no, regarding uploading. Of course you can speculate
>about it. But I think for now it scares the hell out of people.

It probably does scare some people -- OK, let's be honest: it certainly
does scare most people.  But on the other hand, it is is many ways a much
more modest technology than full-scale body-resuscitating Nanotech, which
may never be possible at all.  I never looked seriously into cryonics until
I had thought seriously about uploading first, even though I'd already read
Drexler's work years before.  I buy atomic-scale computers, and
manufacturing vats, and maybe even simple replicators -- but repairing a
massively damaged biological body and brain is a whole different ballpark.

Of course, I could be completely wrong about this, and I certainly think
nanotech is a milestone technology that should be pursued with vigor.  But
I don't think we should stop talking about uploading, either, because for
those (like me) who have doubts about the magical power of Nano, uploading
is the only way we can imagine to get out of the dewar.

Still, your basic message is valid: we must make every effort to educate
the public about the promising future ahead.  To this end, I'm working on
articles and a book about mind uploading, and I've even got a few science
fiction stories (painting a believable but positive future) circulating.
And I avoid Transhumanism (capital T) like the plague; these people are
perceived as anarchistic, cyberpunk-ish freaks by the general public, IMHO.
People don't want to live in a cyberpunk world; they want to live in a
world pretty much like the current one, except perhaps without so much
death.

Berrie, I applaud your desire to help educate the public about the future,
and I look forward to seeing the fruits of your efforts.

Cheers,
-- Joe

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|    Joseph J. Strout           Department of Neuroscience, UCSD   |
|               http://www-acs.ucsd.edu/~jstrout/  |
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