X-Message-Number: 14798
Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2000 23:58:46 -0700
From: Mike Perry <>
Subject: Death Penalty

Jeff Davis, #14660, said

>I wouldn't want to see cryonics, which I view as a procedure suffused with
>hope, optimism, and life-affirming intent, associated in any way by the
>violence and human darkness which so completely colors the death penalty.

(Although this was several days ago, it's been in the back of my mind to
respond briefly, and I've been busy with other things until now.) 

The possibility is brought up in this posting of using (premortem) cryonic
suspension as an equivalent of execution, which it would be in the eyes of
the law today, though I, and probably many other readers, don't see it that
way. I doubt in any case that any demand for cryonically suspending executed
criminals will develop anytime soon, *unless* just possibly if there were a
demonstration of reversible cryopreservation. But the main point I wanted to
make is that, if somehow cryonics did become an option to a criminal facing
execution, it would open the prospect of, in the future, curing that person
of whatever tendencies led to the bad behavior; thus it should not be
overlooked as a possible therapeutic tool, and a more humane way of dealing
with serious offenders than merely destroying them. (I am, by the way, an
opponent of the death penalty.)

Mike Perry

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