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Besides the technical discussion in this thread I'd like to question this procedure from an other perspective: Suppose that in, say, 1000 years humanity develo

by simias 12y ago

Besides the technical discussion in this thread I'd like to question this procedure from an other perspective: Suppose that in, say, 1000 years humanity develops a technology that actually can heal and resurrect people who have been "suspended" that way. What is their incentive to actually do it? I mean, it's hard to make hypotheses about the state of humanity so far into the future, but if we base ourselves on current humanity growth it's unlikely that we'll be in a population deficit any time soon. Especially if we develop technology that allows us to cure death... So basically, imagine if we had a fridge somewhere with a bunch of people from 1000 AD that we could bring back to life if we wished to. It would probably be very interesting to do it for a bunch of them, the most potentially interesting and influential people of the time. But would we bother bringing, say, 100 000 people back? Those people wouldn't be able to function really well in our society and even the best educated of them would have vastly outdated knowledge about practically anything.

blueskin_ 12y ago
Alcor will undertake the process themselves, and large parts of their operating budget are earmarked for this. Then there's the fact that if humanity survives long enough, it's more likely to resemble the Federation from Star Trek than corporate America where healthcare is only available to the rich.
- LyndsySimon 12y ago
  > Then there's the fact that if humanity survives long enough, it's more likely to resemble the Federation from Star Trek than corporate America where healthcare is only available to the rich. Citation, please.
- krisdol 12y ago
  nothing about the future is fact.
ozgung 12y ago
We already have that 'fridge' in the form of Pyramids of Giza or other ancient tombs. They even have their 'insurance' and incentives as the treasures and golden coins they are buried with. After thousands of years we are still unable to resurrect them and arguably we wouldn't even if we could.
- lutusp 12y ago
  That's not a fair comparison. The mummy creators removed the internal organs of the deceased, replacing them with preservatives like natron -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natron http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natron -- and basically creating a simulacrum of a biological being. This is not to suggest that our present fascination with freezing is any less crude and unworkable. > After thousands of years we are still unable to resurrect them and arguably we wouldn't even if we could. That's because the mummies aren't remotely the people they once were, any more than a wax sculpture of Prince is Prince -- or the artist once known as Prince, if that's still going on. But I would certainly like to reanimate some of those ancient figures, ask a few questions about ancient Egypt. Doesn't that sound interesting?
- blueskin_ 12y ago
  Mummification is for display, not preservation. The chemical structure of the body is changed, while all the organs (including the brain, which was removed through the nose) are placed in jars.
- ryandvm 12y ago
  Cannot upvote enough.

by simias 12y ago

blueskin_ 12y ago

Alcor will undertake the process themselves, and large parts of their operating budget are earmarked for this. Then there's the fact that if humanity survives long enough, it's more likely to resemble the Federation from Star Trek than corporate America where healthcare is only available to the rich.

LyndsySimon 12y ago
> Then there's the fact that if humanity survives long enough, it's more likely to resemble the Federation from Star Trek than corporate America where healthcare is only available to the rich. Citation, please.
krisdol 12y ago
nothing about the future is fact.

ozgung 12y ago

We already have that 'fridge' in the form of Pyramids of Giza or other ancient tombs. They even have their 'insurance' and incentives as the treasures and golden coins they are buried with. After thousands of years we are still unable to resurrect them and arguably we wouldn't even if we could.

lutusp 12y ago
That's not a fair comparison. The mummy creators removed the internal organs of the deceased, replacing them with preservatives like natron -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natron http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natron -- and basically creating a simulacrum of a biological being. This is not to suggest that our present fascination with freezing is any less crude and unworkable. > After thousands of years we are still unable to resurrect them and arguably we wouldn't even if we could. That's because the mummies aren't remotely the people they once were, any more than a wax sculpture of Prince is Prince -- or the artist once known as Prince, if that's still going on. But I would certainly like to reanimate some of those ancient figures, ask a few questions about ancient Egypt. Doesn't that sound interesting?
blueskin_ 12y ago
Mummification is for display, not preservation. The chemical structure of the body is changed, while all the organs (including the brain, which was removed through the nose) are placed in jars.
ryandvm 12y ago
Cannot upvote enough.