X-Message-Number: 4092
From: Ralph Merkle <>
Subject: Re: Faith
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 1995 20:37:57 PST

Saul Kent said:

>	My opinion that it may be possible to restore cryonics patients
>to life in the future is not based on faith in the future of science, but
>in the research advances currently being made by today's cryonics
>scientists.
>
>	I have no faith at all in future scientists, only in today's
>scientists. If they do not continue their work, there will *be* no future
>cryonics scientists. If they receive enough funding to achieve rapid
>progress in cryonics, the future could come *very* soon!
>	My message for those of you who *have* been relying on faith is
>to give it up and put your money on the line for the only pathway to
>success...scientific research to achieve suspended animation.

Perhaps a bit overstated.  Dora Kent was suspended using techniques
that were current at the time.  Future advances in suspension
technology will have only an indirect effect on her chances.
Presumably "future scientists" will revive her.  And the more quickly
we develop the necessary technology, the less time she will spend
in suspension.

If there is any one thing that is critical, it is to persuade a broader
community that cryonics is reasonable and should be supported.  No
single argument is likely to persuade everyone.  People have many
concerns, including: technical concerns about suspension and revival;
concerns about legal and social issues; organizational concerns;
concerns about what the future will be like; and concerns about other
areas that impinge (or might impinge) on the success or desirability of
cryonics.

We can and should address them all, though any one person might choose
to focus on areas they feel are particularly important or for which
they are particularly well suited.

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