Comment on Optimism versus cryonics

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:31:18 GMT

Since we don't know the ultimate limits on human technology (one possibility: we're just too dumb to ever invent AI or FAI; space travel will never be practical; but maybe cryonics is actually easy w/ enough experimentation), it's reasonable to imagine an eventual bound as you discuss.

To further concur, and to counter the obvious objection against the evolutionary benefit of old people to their genes (tangential to cryonics, IMO) that natural reproductive life ends at 40-60 years (for women), and that most men stop fathering children perhaps a decade later: there is some benefit to the young in having old people around (including advice about infrequent events from the elders' distant experience, caring and education from their grandparents/aunts, and the expectation of similar treatment in their own senescence) .

Also, utilitarianism aside, I'm certainly selfishly in favor of my own long life regardless of whether on net I'm bringing others utility :) Similarly, I'm in selfishly in favor of own property rights, and the mechanisms in society that enforce them.

Discuss