X-Message-Number: 10476
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 08:01:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: Reply to B. F. Shelton

B. F. Shelton writes:

> I don't understand this statement.  Do you have some connection with 21st
> Century Medicine, that you know of these developments?  

No formal connection, but I am on friendy terms with most of the
participants and have been briefed on recent work. I visited many of them
last weekend. 

> And, supposing
> that something tangible is announced that would result in "wealthy
> cryonicists" deciding to invest in, why would this be "a result of efforts
> of Kent and Faloon," whoever they are, as opposed to whatever-it-is
> standing on its own merits?  

My point was that any research results or opportunities will exist only 
because just two people--out of hundreds of cryonicists and millions of 
Americans--had the foresight to a) accumulate the money that is needed 
and b) direct it toward the research that needs to be done. Without them, 
little or none of this work would be happening. This, as I said, is a 
singularity, not a trend.

> Also, why do you seem to think that if some
> really good development arises, "common behavior among cryonicists" would
> not support it?

I don't think that's quite what I said or meant. I was merely pointing out
that in the past, cryonicists (especially those with real money) have been
reluctant to spend much on research. This has been the dominant pattern.
Paul Wakfer made some considerable progress gathering pledges for his
research project, but of course pledges are not quite the same as actual
donations, and I believe, in any case, the majority of pledges came from
people who are not especially wealthy. Unfortunately Wakfer's project did
not progress along the path originally envisaged, so we will never know
whether it would have broken the usual pattern in cryonics over the past
30 years. When the 21st Century Medicine progress report is delivered in
November, we'll find out whether research has become more attractive to
the cryonics community. 

--CP

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