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 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6607