X-Message-Number: 9369
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 08:58:38 -0700 (MST)
From: Fred Chamberlain <>
Subject: Re: Recent Comments on Cryonics Growth

Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998
From: Fred Chamberlain ()
Subj: Recent Comments on Cryonics Growth

I have been carefully watching the discussion on this, particularly the
comments by Charles Platt (CryoCare Foundation) and Bob Ettinger (Cryonics
Institute).  Both are making important observations, though their positions
differ widely. 

The upcoming conference (next weekend) in Scottdale, AZ will provide a "real
time" forum for exploring many of the questions being raised.  I'm looking
forward to this, and (once again) suggest that anyone considering coming to
the conference get the details from our website (http://www.alcor.org) or by
calling Joe Hovey at 800-367-2228.

(Discussion of various modalities of cryonic suspension)

We need far more data, with models of demonstated validity, to evaluate the
wide differences in approach presently advocated for preserving
memory/identity by simply conserving neural structure.  At the same time, we
must strongly push on toward suspended animation by the route of getting
back biological viability.

(1) Most people are not going to develop confidence in the possibility of
recovering memory and identity from preserved neural structures, until it is
pretty clear that these (memory and identity) can be recovered by the more
elementary method of taking those neural structures down to liquid nitrogen
and then later restoring biological function to them.  Regardless of the
ultimate cost of doing so, regardless of how tight a "window" is imposed in
limiting ischemic damage, regardless of the difficulties in optimizing
cryoprotection, and regardless of how rapidly those structures must be
cooled and then rewarmed, these are the essential "baby steps" to
demonstrating that the idea of cryonics has fundamental merit, to a large
number of even moderately intelligent people.

(2)  In parallel, however, we had better be working toward defining
alternatives which are more affordable and more robust as to application,
which can be demonstrated to preserve structures whose functions are highly
correlated with a possibility of recovering memory and identity.  Otherwise,
once confidence *is* established that people could be recovered from
"preserved" states of perfected vitrification, there might be a maddened
rush to preserve people by whatever other means lie at hand, proven or not,
based as much on wishful thinking and blind hope as on research and reasoned
optimism. 

In the movie about a ship which turned upside down ("The Poseiden
Adventure"), there was the period shortly after this happened when a few,
realizing that the surface of the sea lay "upward", were climbing a
Christmas tree in the inverted ballroom while the rest of those stranded
there scornfully ignored them.  Then there was a rush to climb the tree when
it was finally seen as a preferable alternative to drowning, and the tree
collapsed under the weight of the crowd scrambling up it.  With foresight,
we can avoid this in cryonics, but planning  and concrete work *are*
required.  This is why the work suggested above under (2) is important to
pursue, and why more emphasis should be given to it.  With enough success in
(1), growth in cryonics *will* take place.  We must take care that this
growth does not take place chaotically or in a "cult like" fashion.

In trying to jump a chasm of unknown width, if your life depends on this and
you strongly care about continuing that life, it might be well to jump as
hard as you can.  If you don't care enough to jump really hard, but simply
want to "make a statement" in defiance of death, then you can elect to take
a less energetic jump and hope for the best.  The important thing is to know
which of the two you are doing.  Each of us will have a different level of
deciding how hard we want to jump, and each of us will, as a consequence,
will put a different degree of "launch energy" into what we do.

This isn't just about "dollars".  It's about how well you understand the
rescue process (should it be needed), it's about how much infrastructure
you've helped to create, and it's about how well you've stated your personal
preferences as to what might be done under varying circumstances, when and
if the time comes when reanimation for you might be possible.  It's
basically about the level of procedures and preparation you've provided for,
in your personal arrangements.

These differ, person to person.  There are no "standard" situations or
circumstances.  We'll be talking a *lot* more about this at the conference!

Boundless life,

Fred Chamberlain, President ()
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Non-profit cryonic suspension services since 1972.
7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale AZ 85260-6916
Phone (602) 922-9013  (800) 367-2228   FAX (602) 922-9027
 for general requests
http://www.alcor.org

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