X-Message-Number: 9740
Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 09:43:07 -0400
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: CryoNet #9731 - #9739

To Charles Platt:
Your message seems to ignore the fact that in mine I pointed out that
we should support research to improve our suspension methods. No one
else is doing so --- so that research falls on us. After all, whatever
the disease or condition, it is only research which will eventually 
find a cure. If (in some hypothetical world which does not exist)
other noncryonics groups were busily researching means to improve 
suspensions and revive people damaged by their suspension I would 
argue differently. I have felt that we should do much more research to
improve our suspension methods for as long as I have been signed up
with a cryonics society.

About cryonics for profit:
At present there are very few providers of cryonics services, and
few customers. Most theories of economics which I know (including 
free market theories) start from a hypothesis that there are many
providers and many customers. Such a situation IS likely to show
the positive features of capitalism. Someday for-profit cryonics
societies may exist, just as there are now for-profit insurance
companies. However they are unlikely to work well in the present
situation.

There is also another, more blunt evaluation of the fate of TT.
Not all for profit companies in a capitalistic economy succeed. 
Especially in the early stages, some either go bust or leave their
initial market to do something else. TT left the market to become
an investment holding company. This is entirely in accord with 
economic theory. TT found that it could not make a profit from
cryonics and so took up another activity.

Finally I will point out that even economic libertarians do not
insist that ALL activities be done by profit-making companies. There
is no reason why libertarians cannot join together in a cooperative
society to achieve collective aims. As I understand that philosophy,
it consists of a criticism of GOVERNMENT activities, not a belief
that everything be done by a profit-making society.

			Best and long long life for all,

				Thomas Donaldson

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=9740