From: Jeff Davis (jrd1415@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Jul 26 2002 - 12:45:08 MDT
Thu Jul 25 2002 - 15:54:25 MDT, Hal Finney
(hal@finney.org) wrote:
>News on the Ted Williams front: Reuters is reporting
that his son has exhibited a note signed by the famous
baseball player indicating that he wanted to be
cryonically suspended upon his death.
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=topnews&StoryID=1253495
The note, co-signed by Williams, his son John Henry
and daughter Claudia, dated November 2, 2000, reads,
"JHW, Claudia and Dad all agree to be
put into Bio-Stasis after we die. This is what we
want, to be able to be together in the future, even if
it is only a chance."
-------------------------
I find the content and phrasing of the note very
interesting. One thing is the motivation for the
suspension: "to be able to be together in the future".
Non-cryonicists, who see into the matter only very
superficially, narrowly and critically perceive the
goal as one of individual survival (sometimes
characterizing this as selfish), and characterize the
outcome as filled with negatives. Their prejudice
shows. It precedes and inspires the negative features
of their view. They typically imagine recovery in a
too-strange future populated only by strangers,
friends and kin long dead.
The prospect of maintaining and extending family unity
is a notably more sophisticated view. This is the
very first time I have seen this in print in the mass
media, and is of some value to the wider promotion of
cryonics. Though it might slip out of public
perception were it to be mentioned once and then
disappear, it's presence on the crucial note, almost
certain to be central to the legal case, suggests that
the public will hear it at least several more times.
This may give it some degree of memetic durability.
Then there is the term "Bio-Stasis". Very unexpected
to see this. Frequently we see the term "cryogenics"
mistakenly substituted for cryonics. I'm going to
guess that John Henry got "Bio-Stasis" from the Alcor
literature. But I also wonder if perhaps it means
something more. Is it possible that John Henry may
have been lurking about in "our" neighborhood? He's
been very tight-lipped so far, keeping us in suspense.
This story has more unfolding to do.
Best, Jeff Davis
"My guess is that people don't yet realize how
"handy" an indefinite lifespan will be."
J Corbally
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