X-Message-Number: 23822 From: "John de Rivaz" <> Subject: memories Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 09:49:11 +0100 There was an opinion poll in the UK to determine how much its citizens know about its past. One person was shown on television as being asked "Who was the prime minister during the second world war?" He answered correctly "Winston Churchill". The pollster (as part of an experiment) said "Well actually it was Harold Wilson" "Oh yes, of course it was" said the subject. (Wilson was an insignificant post war socialist PM.) This shows how easily people can be mislead and memories "learned". Lawyers and police do it on a routine basis in examination of witnesses in order to reinforce their cases, some deliberately and some without realising it. Another experiment used computer generated pictures of false events in subjects' childhood. They quickly came to accept these as real memories. However we are whatever we are, and that is what we are seeking to preserve. All this discussion can lead to his how best to do this. Even if it is discovered that a definition or description of individuality is difficult or impossible to achieve, this should not dissuade anyone for preserving their existence in good health for as long as possible. -- Sincerely, John de Rivaz: http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy, Nomad .. and more Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=23822