Re: Blatant deathism at infidels.org

From: Loree Thomas (lthomas1@uswest.net)
Date: Tue Jan 25 2000 - 20:44:21 MST


>The more people react to this, the better. Atheists, of
> all people, should be open to transhumanistic ideas, but
> these irrational deathist memes are holding them back.
> Perhaps repeated exposure to positive anti-memes can
> get at least some of them on the right track.<<
>

This was my submission:

I was excited when I saw the title of the article "Death Is Not an Event
in Life" By James Still because it seemed to mirror my own thoughts on
the subject.

I became disappointed as I read however. Indeed, death need not be an
event in any life, other than a temporary one. James paints a picture
of a great man, but to assuage his sorrow at the loss of his father, he
accepts death as a necessary part of life.

How much better if his father could have been cryogenically frozen, to
be revived when technology makes it possible to repair both the damage
due to freezing and that caused by his stroke.

His "examined life" of quality could have continued and his wisdom
grown.

We are so close to defeating death... it is possible that many now alive
will never die. How sad it is to miss such a great adventure by mere
years.

Is cryonic resuscitation currently possible? No, it isn't. But that in
no way means that it won't be in the future. Consider it a last,
desperate gamble, an extreme last ditch medical effort. You could lose
the bet... but that just means you remain dead.

On the other hand, you could win.

Loree Thomas



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