X-Message-Number: 7153
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 11:35:27 +1030 (CST)
From: Sundance Bilson-Thompson <>
Subject: Re: Broadening the base of Cryonics + Sci-fi

Hello all, 
this is my first message to the list although I have been a subscriber for
some time.. I am an interested, not-yet-signed-up bystander, so most of my
time on this list has consisted of absorbing information, however I have
now spotted an opportunity to give something back...

On Thu, 14 Nov 1996, CryoNet wrote:

> Message #7137
> Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 10:56:46 -0800
> From:  (Olaf Henny)
> Subject: Broadening the Base of Cryonics
> 
> Re: Broadening the Base of Cryonics (Cryonet Message # 7136)
> 
> Further to my suggestion for extending the number of cryonicists in
> yesterday's CryoNet Message # 7136 I have made a cursory search for sci-fi
> discussion groups on the newsnet, without any success.

I'd suggest that this cursory search failed because you were searching for
'sci-fi' rather than 'sf'. Science fiction is indeed alive and well and
living on the 'net. Among the various usenet groups devoted to SF, the
vast majority belong to the rec.arts.sf heirarchy. You might like to pay
particular attention to rec.arts.sf.science where (as the name suggests) 
all manner of scientific issues related to SF are discussed, frequently by
well educated people.. The mention of cryonic suspension on that group
would probably be quite welcome.

> For those, who feel that there may be a liability in being associated with
> 'fiction', let me point out that the readers of this genre are well aware,
> that most of the good *science* fiction is written by scientists, whose
> conjecture of the future is based on extrapolation of present cutting edge
> scientific knowledge.

Quite true.

To add a little more to this discussion, I'd like to mention my personal
'moment of revelation' about cryonics. I was rather skeptical about the
idea due to the knowledge of freezing damage, then one day I came across
the mention of freezing damage and nanotechnology in the same sentence.
Suddenly the barriers fell down, and a very loud part of my brain said
"Hey! That could work!"

Now I know there's much healthy debate on the virtue (or otherwise) of
depending on nanotechnology to revive us, and I also know that we won't
know for sure how to revive a cryonics patient successfully until the
first person is successfully revived, but the point is this;

There are probably plenty of people in the world who are not actively
opposed to the idea of cryonics, who would like to live the longest,
healthiest life possible, but who are sufficiently well educated to be
aware of the difficulties facing cryonics, and who have not been exposed
to the plans for how to overcome those difficulties. If we can show those
people that we have a chance of making this dream a reality, then we can
increase the general level of interest and enthusiasm for cryonics.

Olaf, I think you are on the right track (or one of the right tracks).
Science fiction fandom is full of people who want to see the future, and
people with sound scientific knowledge. Of course, there are a bunch of
whackos in it too :)

Now we need to figure out a way to get to the general public as well :)

Health, long life, and happiness,
	Sundance

************************************************************************ 
  Sundance O. Bilson-Thompson.    *  "Zog!?...What do you mean 'Zog'?!
   Adelaide, South Australia      *      Zog what!?" Susan Ivanova
 Honours Mathematical Physicist,  *        -Voices of Authority,
Ivanovaphile and Redhead fanatic. *              Babylon 5
=================================<*>====================================      
                       
              http://www.student.adelaide.edu.au/~kickaha/
************************************************************************ 


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