X-Message-Number: 19069 Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 07:13:11 -0700 Subject: Re: Computer people & cryonics References: <> From: (Tim Freeman) Message #19059 From: >Computer people are unique, or close to it, in the following combination of >traits and experience: > >1. They are not only logical, but accustomed to putting logic to work, and >getting extremely reliable results, in their work-a-day world. ... > >2. They are accustomed to rapid advances... > >3. They are generally not hung up on vitalism, and many assume the brain is a >kind of computer. ... As a computer person, I suppose I'm qualified to add: 4. They tend to be overly optimistic. It's mentioned on the web at http://www.agilemodeling.com/values.htm, so it must be true. Seriously, I observe this in my work and in myself. The assumption is that since we know how the computer works, then there can't be any troubles in the next project beyond the ones we anticipate. The same false assumption can apply to the real world: since the laws of chemistry are pretty much known (quantum electro dynamics), then reassembling the frozen people can't present any obstacles beyond the ones we've anticipated. At least one error in this is that you just don't have enough compute power in your head (or anywhere else) to derive all of the consequences of known laws except by completing the project. I don't see anything practical to do about this. I'm posting in hopes that someone else will. -- Tim Freeman GPG public key fingerprint ECDF 46F8 3B80 BB9E 575D 7180 76DF FE00 34B1 5C78 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=19069