X-Message-Number: 3671
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 20:37:46 -0800
From:  (Martin R. Olah)
Subject: CRYONICS.SCI:Cloning and Neurosuspension

Martin:
>> Unless I'm missing something, this doesn't sound like good news
>> for those cryonicists signed up for neurosuspension. Is it
>> believed that the brain will offer enough clues as to hormonal
>> balance, spinal cord conditions, etc?

Michael Clive Price:
>The DNA should provide a lot of information to the hormonal state
>of the missing body.  Identical twins don't differ that much,
>biochemically.

If I can afford it, I want to save every scrap of information I can.
Identical twins can vary a lot, even their sexual orientation. How much of 
the differences are environmental, genetic, or influences in the womb? Given 
the choice I would rather save too much information than what we believe to be
just enough. Enough clues may be left in the brain to supplement the DNA 
concerning the rest of the body's influence on our identity. If so, great.

 
>> Or is this all considered too minor of a concern? Minor enough
>> to forgo a more conservative
 
>more conservative?

Yes, it conserves more.


>-    more expensive

Yes, that seems to be a major difference. As for the occasional argument
that whole body isn't over funded enough, I suggest that cryonics 
organizations start charging what they think whole body should cost.
When someone is in the hospital they aren't told, "We're charging $10,000
for this surgery, but we'd appreciate it if you paid $30,000 in order
to keep us in the black", or "Why not take the $4,000 dollar surgery but
feel free to pay us the full $10,000". (I realize this is not relevant to
Michael Clive Price's comments)

>-    less perfused.  For neuropatients the perfusion concentrates
>     on the head, without being slowed down by having to perfuse
>     the rest of the body.

I am unaware of neuro suspensions providing a superior perfusion to the brain.
If so, I'd like to know more about it, especially from someone who performs
them both.

>-    less portable.  Whole bodies need cranes to move.  Neurocans
>     can be handled by one person.  During an emergency like fire,
>     earthquake, riots.... portability could be very important.

Besides price, this is another good reason for neurosuspension. Although Alcor 
has permision to remove my head whenever it deems necessary (post-suspension), 
converting to neuro would be an inconvenience in an emergency.

I consider ANY type of good suspension more important than the particular 
type, so I usually recommend neuro to those who otherwise couldn't afford 
it. I don't see the difference as major enough to contradict my own choice
of whole body suspension. 

When I said that clone variation doesn't sound like good news for neuros,
I didn't mean to say that it was necessarily bad news either, just something
to consider and discuss as we have. Good news would have been that clones/
twins are identical in every imaginable way except memories. The fact that
they aren't would only be BAD news to me if it was a difference we couldn't
work around.
                              O Martin

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