X-Message-Number: 24874 From: Subject: Wrap-up comments about Death and Immortalism Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2004 04:41:56 US/Eastern I think I am about done with this topic and can stay out of CryoNet for a while -- after a few brief comments Thomas Donaldson wrote: > no one will actually know EVER that they'll live forever. Yes, Thomas, the results of the clinical trial will not be done until death occurs. Prior to that time definitive conclusions are premature. Michael C. Price wrote: > Rather than try to compare the value of > different, finite length lifespans, I would rather say that *all* > finite lifespans have the same value to me, namely zero. > > [......] > That all finite lifespans are valueless. It seems to me that our dialog has boiled down to this, which seems to simply be a statement of your values which I cannot personally relate to. I love life -- I love being alive -- and I want to live as long as possible. Thus, life to me at every moment has value that cannot be nullified upon my death. I place value on the the values of the moment -- I am now an alive and valuing creature. When that ceases to be the case, my valuing will become "history", but will still have existed. I care about the present in the present. This is relevant to my comment to Thomas. Because you can never know that you are immortal, you will forever be in question about whether life has value or not -- until you die, at which time the question will disappear. I find this not only sad, but unbelievable. I can remember your broad smile as you stuck your spoon into a huge container of ice-cream, chocolate syrup and whipped cream. The moment has passed, but was not valueless to you. Bruce J. Klein wrote: > What do you think happens after death? I believe that after death, existence ceases. I love existing and I hate the thought of non-existence. Some people say that after death it won't matter because in non-existence there is no possibility of caring. But I don't care that I won't care (won't be able to care) after death. What matters to me is *now*. Valuation happens in the *present*. I want to live as long as possible -- and I hate death and the idea of death. Aging and death are my "mortal enemies". This being the case, you may think I would be an "immortalist", but wanting to avoid death and believing that immortality is possible are two different things. To leap immediately from the former to the latter is *wishful thinking*, something I try to avoid. I believe death is inevitable, but in my case I hope that I can avoid it for many thousands of years, at least. -- Ben Best Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=24874