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. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=4092