X-Message-Number: 6607
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: Look at Suda's work
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 00:03:29 -0700 (PDT)

Hi!

This is just a short notice: the main content is in my message responding to
the previous Cryonet messages.

Suda got quite far, even in the 1960's, in showing survival of a brain kept
alive in vitro for a short time after rewarming. Given that all our thoughts
and memories depend on electrical activity in our brain, showing that such
activity after vitrifying and rewarming an animal brain equals that of a 
control virtually proves the point of survival.

We are not going to be able to vitrify a dog's brain and get it to beg for
dog biscuits after rewarming. If that kind of thing is the only test 
acceptable to some, then they may be setting inappropriately strong tests.
I don't think we need to do that, anyway. And since our techniques have
improved since the 60's, we have a decent chance of showing survival of
some simple memories. But vitrifying and reviving a brain in situ just
looks like a no-hoper. The worth of the Prometheus project should not be
confused with the worth of a rather poor test for its success.

			Best and long long life,

				Thomas Donaldson


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