X-Message-Number: 18056
Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 21:30:00 -0700
From: Mike Perry <>
Subject: Importance of Duplicate Issue

Rafi Haftka, #18043:


>I understand that it is difficult to tell now whether you can duplicate
>consciousness and awareness by making a copy of someone's brain.
>... So what do we get by
>speculating on it now?

For one thing, what we get is possible preferences for our own future 
reanimation. If you are comfortable with the idea of using duplicate 
material rather than original in your reanimation, you could so state in 
your cryonics paperwork, and it might affect the procedures that will be 
used. This assumes, of course, that the necessary methods involving 
duplication are developed. However, signing up involves assuming certain 
procedures will be developed that are not available today--there's no way 
to avoid it. You have to speculate on things you can't be sure you can attain.

I think we get more out of it than just this, however, such as a better 
understanding of what makes you "you." I have long felt too that 
duplication will be necessary for immortality, agreeing with Scott Badger's 
"duplicate or die" in #18044. Immortality is one more thing we speculate 
on, without being sure we can attain it.

Mike Perry

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