X-Message-Number: 5819
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: Re: the "Singularity" and assisted suicide in Australia
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 1996 21:33:29 -0800 (PST)

Hi everyone!

Yes, one more late reply.

However: about the "Singularity", I'd say that Robin HL has a pretty good take
on it. Full use of nanotechnology (or any other such very broad class of 
technologies!) may in fact never come. The "Singularity" would occur when the
popular media became aware of its possibilities. (Nanotechnology is a CLASS
of technologies, not a single one; it is like "electronics". And a class of
technologies never comes at any particular instant. When did electronics
arrive?)

WE, of course, have already become aware of its possibilities. Perhaps that
means that we've already been through the "Singularity".

Perhaps in some later messages on Cryonet the point I am about to make has
already been made. HOWEVER, if it hasn't here goes. I'm just off the phone
talking with my wife Cath Woof, who tells me that the Northern Territory in 
Australia has now passed and ratified a law allowing assisted suicide. No
further objections to the law are likely to arise. 

Well, there IS a cryonics group in Australia, though none of them live in
the Northern Territory. As its name suggests, the Northern Territory isn't
even developed enough to be a state of Australia. However Darwin is supposed
to be a fairly large town, and it also has a good airport. If we can't get
any further information from Australian cryonicists directly, I go to 
Australia (very roughly) about 1 x per year, and will look into practicalities
when I am next there. That may be late this year, however, and I do hope
that some Australian cryonicists can tell us more about the practical 
possibility of a suspension in Darwin.

			Best and long long life,

				Thomas Donaldson


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