X-Message-Number: 17607 Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 09:24:28 -0400 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: 2 short answers (long answers possible) Hi everyone! Two reasons for short replies. 1. One writer in the recent (18 September 2001) issue of Cryonet seems to believe that suspension may someday become unnecessary. He gives this reason to justify the use of rented facilities and equipment whenever that becomes necessary, since after a while we won't need suspension any further. This is hardly a provable position, and I cannot argue against it logically. But I will say as I've said before that merely dealing with old age (or any finite list of death-causing conditions) will not set us free of the danger of dying, not from a presently known condition but from some NEW condition with NEW features which we haven't yet considered because it hasn't yet happened. The best PAST example is radiation poisoning, but only a little thought will produce others. Certainly if we do away with aging, we'll escape one major problem we face now. And we'll live much longer in consequence. But that is not the same as evading ALL fatal conditions. 2. Another issue: what will we likely find (I am writing this late at night and haven't looked at any August issue of DISCOVER) if we read the article about Gage's work? My sense of his work is that he was looking for brain cells which can multiply and turn into neurons or glial cells depending on their treatment. Such info is certainly useful but would hardly tell us the memories of the person whose brain is searched. The person who put in this message does not subscribe to PERIASTRON, which has tried to follow what really happens to our memory. Clearly what happens to our memory is important and should be thought about at length. I also try to make PERIASTRON understandable to any average person. All I can say if I have failed is that I'm sorry and would like to know why. Best wishes and long long life for all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=17607