Cryonics Thoughts

Terry Donaghe (tdonaghe@yahoo.com)
Tue, 1 Dec 1998 10:16:24 -0800 (PST)

I know that most (all?) transhumanists and Extropians believe that Cryonics is a "good thing" and are either already signed up for it or will as soon as they gather the moola.

I haven't been convinced yet that it's a "good thing." I understand the basic arguments for it, and yes, I want to live a long, long time just like the next transhuman. However, I have concerns and doubts...

  1. How long can I be legally dead and still retain my brain state (identity)? I live in North Carolina and I doubt there's any Cryonics centers nearby. If I'm gonna be suspended then dammit, I better be there when I'm thawed out, not some brain damaged version of me.
  2. I'm almost 30 now. I fully expect to live at least to 2040 and hopefully 2050. What are the chances we won't have developed mature nanotechnology by then?
  3. If I name a Cryonics organization as a beneficiary of life insurance in order to secure financing for freezing and I expire in such a way that I'm not salvageable (explosion, acid, eaten, spontaneous combustion, alien abduction, lost at sea, etc.) is there a clause to divert the money to my family?
  4. Is life insurance even Transhuman? I'm betting I'll die before my family does. The whole point of being transhuman is that I DON'T WANNA DIE!

I'd almost rather spend the money on staying healthy - supplements, etc.

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanx

==



Terry Donaghe: terry@donaghe.com
Individual, Anarcho-Capitalist, Environmentalist, Transhumanist, Mensan

The Millennium Bookshelf: <http://www.donaghe.com/mbookshelf.htm>



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