Re: ethical problem? Some kind of problem, anyway...

Spike Jones (spike66@ibm.net)
Mon, 19 Apr 1999 22:17:49 -0700

> Scott Badger wrote: How long do you all think marriages will last in a world
> where everyone is ageless.

I suspect in such a situation, marriages would have a half life of about 20 yrs.

> ...You've been told by your doctors that your only chance to live
> requires an experimental medical procedure costing over $100,000 and with a
> 10% chance of success....

Scott this is a *prime* example of a situation where you might want to call in the friends and family for a last party, then take your chances with the deep freeze. I would rather try that route. Unless I had en extra 100k to blow, then I guess you could try both.

The point you raise is an important one if cryonics becomes common. It is too easy to imagine a situation where the family is gathered around one's bedside saying: Grampa, you are old, you are sick, all your friends are either dead or dying. Take a cold bath, leave us your money, since we all need it so badly, and wake up when life is better.

You might not really be ready for such a step, but the pressure might still be there, even if not expressed. Lawmakers might try to argue this scenario to outlaw cryonics. {8-[ spike