X-Message-Number: 8846
From: Olaf Henny <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #8830 and #8832;  Humor & Immortality
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 22:29:19 -0800

Re: Humor & Immortality

Encouraged by the endorsement by Robert Ettinger of the idea of 
inserting a touch of lightheartedness and humor into Cryonics, I 
have below culled some out of  " 22 questions actually asked of 
witnesses by attorneys during trials and, in certain cases, the 
responses given by insightful witnesses", as reported in the 
Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Journal. 

The reason, why I think these stories are fitting is that they 
deal with dying and autopsies.  While autopsies may be considered 
an arch foe of cryonics, they also have much in common, not least 
of all, the macabre image.  Still, I found these lines quite funny 
and can't resist passing them on

*Q:	"Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his 
	sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?" 

*Q:     "Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead 
        people?"
A:	"All my autopsies are performed on dead people." 


*Q:     "Do you recall the time that you examined the body?"
A:      "The autopsy started at around 8:30 p.m." 
Q:      "And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?"
A:      "No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing 
	an autopsy." 

*Q:  "You were not shot in the fracas?"
A:   "No, I was shot midway between the fracas and the navel." 

*Q:  "Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check 
	for a pulse?"
A:   "No."
Q:   "Did you check for blood pressure?" 
A:   "No."
Q:   "Did you check for breathing?"
A:   "No ."
Q:   "So, then is it possible that the patient was alive when you 
	began the autopsy?"
A:   "No."
Q:   "How can you be so sure, Doctor?"
A:   "Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar." 
Q:   "But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?"
A:   "It is possible that he could have been alive and practicing 
	law somewhere."

------------------------------------------------------
I was surprised about the assertion in Will Dye's dissertation 
about immortality, that its achievement was the aim of cryonics, 
nanotech. etc.

I have always assumed, that the aim was to achieve an *indefinite 
lifespan*.  That is a BIG difference. Even with MNT and 
perfection in cryonics, we will never achieve immortality.   
There are many causes of accidental death, which will not permit 
cryopreservation or restoration through MNT, such as death by 
fire, or when rescue in remote areas is not possible in time to 
prevent destructive decomposition.

I read somewhere, that if aging and sickness were eliminated our 
life expectancy would be about 1675 years (leaving accident the 
sole remaining cause).  Granted, that MNT would decrease the 
likelihood of succumbing to accidental death considerably, so 
make it 3,000, 5,000, or 10,000 years.  - Still a long way from 
immortality.

Olaf Henny

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