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. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6935