Re: future pets

Scott Badger (wbadger@psyberlink.net)
Sat, 18 Apr 1998 10:08:11 -0500


>"E. Shaun Russell" <e_shaun@uniserve.com> writes:
>
>> The problem with freezing
>> pets (let's say, for the sake of argument, dogs) is that there is (thus
>> far) no foreseeable way of training them to expect reanimation. Could a
>> dog, upon reanimation, understand where it is, when it is, why and how?

I'm not worried about dogs and cats adapting. They'll be fine. I was
thinking more about how the nature of our relationship with them may change
as we and they evolve. I think that what we like most about our pets is
that they love us unconditionally. But if we were to assist them in
becoming trans-pets and they become conscious and self-aware, would they
still love us unconditionally or might they want their freedom. Would we
want to genetically arrange it so they did not value freedom? Imagine being
the person that you currently are except that you have a master who expects
unconditional love. This master would certainly seem god-like. Hmmm.
Maybe the pervasiveness of religious groups on the planet suggests that we
seek such a master for ourselves.