X-Message-Number: 6935
From: Terry Lambert <>
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
Subject: Re: questions, focus
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 1996 18:18:30 -0700
Message-ID: <>

References: <51j4f4$> <51kogk$> 
<51koj9$>

Charles Platt wrote:

] As I said yesterday, I'd like to know who's willing to pledge or
] give personal funds to the Visser project.
] 
] Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the only person who has made a
] (conditional) pledge so far is Brian Wowk!

I would be willing to match Brian Wowk's $1000, if I were able 
to be sufficiently confident of the rigor of the experimental
protocols to be used.  Prepublication of the protocols would
be a good assurance in that direction.

I'd be willing to make the same contribution to "Prometheus"
given the same assurances, for what that's worth.

Brian Wowk seems to have a similar rigor requirement, but he
unfortunately couches it in terms of initial assumptions
about "what a successful suspension protocol must look like"
(specifically, I refer to his cooling rate requirements).  I
would prefer to see experimental protocols enumerated, obeyed,
and results reported, independent of cooling rate or other
assumptions.  It's my understanding that the Visser method is
a result of ignoring "common knowledge" assumptions, and I
would like to see further research directed at similar "walls".


Finally, I dislike the assumption of competition.  It seems to
be an organizational architectural inevitability for small
volunteer efforts.  It is an untidy Machiavelli-ism that I
have been trying to unwind for three other volunteer projects
in which I've participated in one way or the other over the
last 3-4 years.  I have had no success, for what that's worth;
all-volunteer efforts never seem to exceed the "entrepenurial"
stage of small businees (14-22 active participants before
they fracture into competing groups).

If one takes Bob Ettinger statements at face value, what he is
asking for, in terms of a "Prometheus Project Precursor", is
that you start your payments now instead of later.  This does
not seem to be inconsistent or in conflict with the goals of
either project... though it may be in conflict with the personal
goals of project advocates.


					Regards,
                                        Terry Lambert
                                        
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.


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