X-Message-Number: 3506
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: CRYONICS:re #3496
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 1994 12:39:53 -0800 (PST)

Hi!

I will answer your question as someone who has arranged for neuropreservation.

1. In order for anything about our hormones or body type to really affect us,
   it must somehow affect our brains. The steroid hormones ARE present in our
   brains and DO have an effect. As you know, the anatomy of male and female
   brains is slightly different, and (although I've not seen experimental
   justification) its likely that these differences come from hormonal 
   differences.

   It may be that our body affects our brain's structure in other ways. That
   will have to be worked out. In one sense, of course, it IS already known,
   though this sense is one cryonicists would probably want to be eliminated.
   We already know that the brain structure of amputees is affected, with 
   paths to the amputated limb disappearing and the neurons controlling that
   limb either disappearing or taking up some other task. (Regrowth of the limb
   and rewiring of our brains would be expected). But other changes to people
   who have no been injured are unknown.

   Any change which does NOT affect your brain will be one you will not have
   noticed. AT that point your question wanders into the realm of philosophy.

2. Even though twins and clones aren't identical, their differences aren't
   critical to anything. If my body is regrown, I'd expect it to differ from
   the original. I'd expect, for instance, for birthmarks, moles, and other
   blemishes to be placed differently. If I had used my hands repeatedly on
   some task, then the calluses and other changes would not be there. If my
   revival is good enough, I will certainly notice the difference. However
   these aren't differences whose presence would bother me. 

3. The biggest advantage of neuropreservation is that of COST. Especially if
   you must remain suspended for a very long time, the more money available
   to support your continued suspension through all the accidents of history
   (wars, depressions, all the things which might cause your suspension to
   be aborted). Unless you are very wealthy indeed, you are unlikely to be
   able to afford equivalent amounts for a whole body. And even with wealth,
   neuropreservation offers some physical advantages for preservation:
   it is easier to move and easier to conceal (this has actually allowed the
   continued preservation of at least one patient so far).

Yes, there are still some values here. Since your spinal cord won't come with
your brain, you may find that you must relearn some things. If (for instance)
you are a ballet dancer, you may revive in a body which has never gone through
any dance training at all. (I mean this seriously --- ballet is a highly 
respected art form). Clearly you will have to do a lot of practice to get back
your old skills. (But you WILL be alive, and genetically capable of doing all
the things you once did). Perhaps you want to preserve all the work and effort
you put into developing these skills --- hardly negligible, after all. So
there is a choice we make when we decide to be neuropreservation patients 
rather than whole body patients. As with most things in life, you take your 
choice and live (or die) with the consequences.

			Long long life,

				Thomas Donaldson

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