X-Message-Number: 3079
Date: 08 Sep 94 00:30:51 EDT
From: Mike Darwin <>
Subject: CRYONICS phenotypes


Derek Ryan gently and thoughtfully takes me to task for lumping all cryonicists
into merely two categories.  Of course, I don't really believe that everyone
can be so neatly sorted into two such stacks; one of the Elect and the other of
the Damned.  If that was the impression my post gave, then please let this (and
Derek's remarks) correct it.

Having said this I will now weasel a little and note that setting up broad
and/or extreme categories is not unreasonable and in fact is done all the time.
For instance, many naive people believe (often with great fervor) that there
are true Democrats and true Republicans. The reality is, of course, far more
complicated.  Certainly there are people on either end of the spectrum: solidly
liberal or solidly conservative.  But, if you look closely, you'll find a
surprizing spectrum of feelings and behaviors in between the two extremes.


Despite these gray areas, the labels still are useful and can save one from both
embarrassment and/or broken bones.

The same is true in cryonics.  Clearly, there is a diversity of opinion and
feeling, and clearly this feeling can fluctuate in individuals from time to

time.  But the fact that there *is* a continum should not deter us from creating
classifications which are useful.  For instance, what *exactly* is a Deomocrat,
or a Republican? 

There are clearly differences in cryonics practice and philosophy between
Ettinger and me -- in fact I think it fair to say that we represent opposite
ends of the spectrum as far as cryonicists are concerned (if we wish to add
noncryonicists into the equation then members of the Society for Cryobiology
have that honor).

I believe there is room for all types.  And, as I was careful to point in my
post, it is by no means clear that my position is right.  Since the ultimate

proof must await succcessful revival of patients prepared with both philosophies
in mind and in hand, we will just have to wait.

In the meantime we get to argue our various positions.  And, leaving aside
whether this is terribly useful or not, it must be a great deal of fun, or we
wouldn't do it.

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