The podcast explores cryonics as a means to preserve memories and reverse aging. It also dives into the topics of legal identity and autonomy, as well as the challenges of control in transhumanism. The future of free cultures and declining populations, moral theories and long-termism, climate catastrophism, and the importance of nuclear power are also discussed.
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Quick takeaways
Cryonics aims to halt degeneration and preserve brain structures for future technology to repair and reverse damage.
The concept of death has evolved, and preserving brain structures is essential to revive and rehabilitate individuals.
Cryonics organizations face logistical challenges and legal considerations in preserving individuals immediately after legal death.
The legal identity and rights of cryonically preserved individuals are uncertain and subject to future discussions.
Deep dives
The concept of cryonics and preserving life in the future
Cryonics is the preservation of human beings at extremely cold temperatures with the hope that future technology can repair damage, reverse aging, and extend life. It is seen as a way of surviving into the future, especially when life extension science has not made significant advancements. Cryonics is considered an extension of emergency medicine, putting life on pause until advanced technology can revive and rehabilitate individuals. The preservation process involves gradually removing blood and replacing it with a cryoprotectant solution, cooling the body to below freezing temperatures. The ultimate goal is to preserve the brain's essential structures, as it is believed that memories and personality reside within those structures.
Legally defining death and the information theoretic view
The concept of death and defining the point of irreversible loss has evolved over time. Today, legal death is primarily defined as the point at which medical professionals can no longer offer further assistance based on current knowledge and technology. However, the information theoretic view challenges the binary nature of life and death. According to this view, an individual is not entirely gone unless the brain structures responsible for memories and personality have been destroyed beyond the capability of future technology to restore. Preservation techniques aim to halt degeneration and give individuals an opportunity to be brought back in the future when advances in technology can repair and reverse damage.
Procedures and considerations in the cryopreservation process
The cryopreservation process involves gradually replacing body fluids with a cryoprotectant solution and cooling the body to extremely low temperatures to prevent ice formation and preserve the essential structures. Cryonics organizations ideally want to start the preservation process immediately after legal death is declared to minimize delays and damage. However, logistical and legal considerations can sometimes cause delays. Preservation techniques differ depending on whether it is whole-body preservation or neuro (brain) preservation. While the aim is to preserve the brain's structures, whole-body preservation is usually more practical as removing the brain from the skull without damaging it is challenging. There are ongoing efforts to improve preservation techniques, such as CT scans to assess the effectiveness of cryoprotectant perfusion and prevent freezing injuries.
Legal and identity considerations in cryonics
Legally, individuals who opt for cryonics are considered dead, as they have donated themselves as medical experiments. However, cryonics organizations view these individuals as potential patients, with the goal of eventually reviving and rehabilitating them. Currently, there is no specific legal status for cryonically preserved individuals. The legal identity and rights after revival are uncertain and subject to future discussions and potential changes in the law. Personal autonomy and identity issues arise, including questions about nationality, accountability for past actions, and potential new legal identities. The considerations surrounding legal identity and rights in cryonics intersect with social, cultural, political, and religious perspectives, making it a complicated and evolving topic.
The importance of contemplating cryonics at an earlier stage of life
The podcast episode discusses the possibility of considering cryonics, specifically at the beginning of life rather than the end. The speaker reflects on their own experience when parents set up various accounts and insurances for their child early on. They argue that it could be more practical and philosophically sound to think about cryonics as an opt-in or opt-out option at birth, especially for individuals born through IVF. Encouraging families to sign up and view cryonics as a family decision could help overcome social objections and normalize the practice.
The paradox of societal acceptance for cremation and assisted dying
The podcast episode highlights the paradoxical societal acceptance of cremation and assisted dying, alongside the resistance towards cryonics. The speaker expresses their confusion over the normalization of cremation through lighthearted advertisements, even as cremation rates rise. They also note the increasing discussions around assisted dying and the widening parameters for eligibility, such as euthanasia for babies or individuals facing poverty or depression. The speaker questions why cryonics, which offers the possibility of extending life, does not receive similar favorable treatment, suggesting a potential bias or narrative surrounding population control.
Transhumanism, technocracy, and the quest for individual choice
The podcast episode delves into the topic of transhumanism and its relationship with technocracy. The speaker emphasizes that transhumanism is grounded in extending the Enlightenment ideals of reason, science, and goodwill to improve the human condition. They highlight the concept of morphological freedom, which grants individuals the right to decide their biological and psychological identity. In contrast, technocracy involves centralized control by a few over the masses, which contradicts the philosophy of transhumanism. The speaker emphasizes the importance of preserving individual choice and warns against the potential dangers of technocratic influence
Do we need a new criteria for death, that covers the technicalities around neuro preservation, issues of legal identity upon reanimation and an approach to rehabilitation? What are the misunderstandings or misinformation that surround transhumanism and endeavour to make the distinction between transhumanism and technocracy? Should we be worried about the wrong headedness of The Population Bomb, climate catastrophism and the fashionability of long termism?
Today, I speak with Max More. As some of you may already know, Max is considered to be the founder of modern transhumanism, a philosopher and futurist who writes extensively on technology and humanity. He's also currently ambassador and President Emeritus at Alcor Life Extension Foundation, having served almost 10 years as President and CEO there, and having been its 67th member. His 1995 University of Southern California doctoral dissertation, 'The diachronic self identity continuity and transformation', examined several issues that concern transhumanists, including the nature of death. He is the Co-editor of Rhe Transhumanist Reader, and he's written many articles on transhumanism and extropianism, including the 1990 essay, 'Transhumanism: toward a futurist philosophy', in which he introduced the term transhumanism, in its modern sense.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
A definition of cryonics
Changing definitions of death
The process of cryogenic freezing
Memory loss and personality
Consent and cryonic preservation
What happens to identity after death and cryopreservation?
Rights on reanimation
Should world leaders be preserved for the good of their citizens?
Attitudes to cryopreservation around the world
Should we be thinking about the end of life at birth?
Why isn’t cryonics favourably received by the media?
Transhumanism
The future of states and capitalism
The problem of shrinking populations
Long termism and utilitarianism
Environmentalism
Is a misunderstanding of transhumanism really just mischief?
