CryoNet #32356 - #32357

CryoNet - Thu 4 Feb 2010

    #32356: Re: Organic progress model versus the Drunkard's Walk  [John de Rivaz]
    #32357: On the end of the food chain [robomoon]

Rate This Digest: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=32356%2D32357

Administrivia

To subscribe to CryoNet, send email to:
    [email protected]
with the subject line (not message _body_):
    subscribe
To unsubscribe, use the subject line:
    unsubscribe
To post a message to CryoNet, send your message to:
    [email protected]
from the same address to which you are aubscribed.

Since all CryoNet messages are archived and accessible via WWW,
including search engines, make certain that your postings
reflect how you want the world to see you.

To retrieve past messages, send email to:
    [email protected]
with the message numbers in the subject line.
(Message 0003 describes the advanced syntax.)
You also can retrieve them via the CryoNet web page at URL:
    http://www.cryonet.org/

For administrative or other questions/suggestions, send email
to me at "[email protected]" with "cryonics" in the subject line.
    - Kevin Q. Brown


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message #32356
From: "John de Rivaz" <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Organic progress model versus the Drunkard's Walk 
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 17:45:42 -0000

As far as rockets are concerned, I am wondering whether the lack of 
enthusiasm is because that although they do the job, they are really quite 
impractical on an econmic basis for getting out of gravity wells. Clarke's 
idea of the space elevator seemed like a wild fantasy at the time of 
inception, but nanotechnology has made it look more of a possibility. The 
trouble is, that it could still be too long for most aspiring astronauts 
alive today before the materials are found to implement it.

There is a similar parallel with cures for aging. Heroic surgery is a bit 
like rockets - expensive and capable for helping only a few people, and not 
achieving much in terms of maximum lifespan. With the passing years, 
nanotechnological methods are looking more feasible. But they are too late 
for those alive today.

Consider the history of the automobile. The first internal combusion engine 
driven vehicle appeared in 1807
http://www.cybersteering.com/trimain/history/ecars.html#3
A modern reconstruction of the vehicle was said to be almost impossible to 
drive. The idea was probably considered totally impractical by those living 
in the early 19th century. Horses eat grass rather than need fuel, can look 
where they are going, and go faster than that car. It was over a hundred 
years before it developed into a popular product. Even then Dr Benz felt 
that only 2000 or so people in the entire world would be capable of driving 
one of his.

Humans may well venture into space and live indefinitely - but not current 
generations, unless cryonics works, both legally and scientifically.

-- 
Sincerely, John de Rivaz:  http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including
Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley
Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy,  Nomad .. and
more

----- Original Message ----- 
<del>The Obama Administration's relinquishment of manned space travel, a
key component in the progress mythology from way back, suggests that
the drunkard's walk better fits the data than the organic model. Human
civilization has no more inherent reason to keep building rockets and
sending men into orbit than it had to keep building pyramids.
<del> 

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=32356

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message #32357
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 21:46:56 +0100 (CET)
From: [email protected]
Subject: On the end of the food chain
References: <[email protected]>

You see substantial evidence for scientific progress(*1). Nevermind old tales, but there are also scientists today who know quite well that decline or a period of stagnation are an outcome following a period of great progress. Actually, the pace of progress has been different in various fields of science. Great progress must be recognizable in computer science with processors crunching an immense number of calculations. Stagnation must be more evident in agricultural science. Yet it's tricky to argue that food distribution and quality hasn't increased together with quantity (see *2). Some regions experience a great increase in food quality, others not. Those of the faithful who believe that food distribution and quality has sufficiently increased until now, go better hurry to get into poli
 tics for the advocacy of global fast food chains.

Regarding the recruitment of young intelligent individuals for science, it will be better to watch all regions where these people are located. For an intelligent pupil in the Central African Congo: if all of your compatriots will be fine without eating bush meat, also known as monkey flesh (sometimes a pygmy's getting cannibalized too), be my guest! For a young Rajasthali http://rajasthalicryonics.org aspirant with an IQ above 130: nothings better than chewing on mom's apron strings? OK, that sucks, but mom got a bit dry with the current economic situation in Madhya Pradesh yet. Ha, ha, was only joking(*2), there's scientific progress (see *1) for more milk ever while food quality has always increased. Therefore, I can also refer to one suggestion someone gave me when I bemoaned my own pro
 blem: eat one less pizza per month and you have enough money for cryonics.

In message #32354 David Stodolsky wrote in part: The only 'faith' required by cryonics is a faith in scientific progress. Since there is substantial evidence for this progress... 

--


Immer auf dem Laufenden! Sport, Auto, Reise, Politik und Promis. Von uns fur Sie: der neue Arcor.de-Newsletter!
Jetzt anmelden und einfach alles wissen: http://www.arcor.de/rd/footer.newsletter

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=32357

----------------------------------------------------------------------

End of CryoNet Digest
*********************