X-Message-Number: 655
Date: 16 Feb 92 16:21:48 EST
From: Michael Clive Price <>
Subject: CRYONICS

CryoNet readers may interested to know what I meant by my statement
(quoted by Russell Whitaker, with my permission, in #618) that I 
regarded ACS/Trans-Time as publicity-driven and Alcor as
technology-driven.  Well, perhaps you're not interested, but here goes. 
I was thinking about ACS/TT's philosophy in general and of
neuro-suspensions in particular.  

ACS/TT (and CI) don't offer neuro-suspensions, or are less than
forthcoming about their stance, for publicity reasons.  One day they're
offering neuro-suspension.  Next day they're not.  Day after they are
offering neuro only to existing members.  Alcor has always offered the
neuro option to its members.  This always weighed heavily in my mind 
when I compared the different organisations in the early 1980s and was
the main reason why I selected Alcor.
  
A related episode which turned me right off CI was when Ettinger
criticised Alcor for publicising possible fracturing damage to brains 
in storage.  Ettinger was not disputing the scientific status of the
subject but thought that Alcor shouldn't scare people.  Since Ettinger
exerts strong editorial control over CI's publications this renders 
them virtually useless as a source of unbiased data on cryonics.  

My concern with any organisation running scared of the press/publicity
is that it may choose to suppress negative data from its members. 
ACS/TT's attitude towards neuro-suspensions and publicity seems to be
uncomfortably *close* to this position.  CI has stated (see above) that
this *is* their position.  Alcor has always demonstrated a
publish-and-be-damned attitude which I find reassuring.

That's what I meant by technology- versus publicity-driven.

Of course I should add that I'm also strongly attracted by the
neuro-preservation option, irrespective of what an organisation's stance
on the matter reveals about their ethics.

As for the Ali affair I shall be content to wait and see if Ali does 
sign up.  There are two types of people in the world.  Those that talk
and those that do.  I shall be more impressed by the news that Ali *has*
signed up than the news that he *might*.

To end on a cordial note, I share Edgar's hope that Mike Darwin's
departure will lead to a more constructive dialogue between CI/TT/ACS.  
The last decade has seen a lot of unnecessary acrimony between cryonics
organisations.  Why we can't be grown-up and civilised in our 
discourses, no matter what differences we may have in procedures.

Mike Price

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