The Ethics of Cryonics:

Why the Future Probably Does Need You

By Rudi Hoffman CFP CLU ChFC

Fourth Annual Colloquium on Futuristic Persons December 9 and 10, 2008

Outline of talk
1. Definition of ethics 2. Some surprisingly bad examples of ethics from historically venerated sources 3. Some recent ethics thought leaders 4. Ethics of cryonics, why you are worth saving

What is Ethics?
ethics Noun, pl1. a code of behaviour, esp. of a particular group, profession, or individual: business ethics 2. the moral fitness of a decision, course of action, etc. Noun the study of the moral value of human conduct Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006

Example of Ethics from Moses

Numbers 31:13-18 (English Standard Version)

13Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. 14And Moses was angry with(A) the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15Moses said to them, "Have you(B) let all the women live? 16Behold,(C) these,(D) on Balaams advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD in the incident of(E) Peor, and so(F) the plague came among the congregation of the LORD. 17Now therefore,(G) kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him(H) keep alive for yourselves.

5:33, The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter; 8:12, I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them

Example of Ethics from Quran

Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 84, Number 57:
Narrated 'Ikrima: 'Do not punish anybody with Allah's punishment (fire).' I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah's Apostle, 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'"

Example of Ethics from the Bible

Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests
Anyone arrogant enough to reject

the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT)

Death for Fortunetelling

A man or a woman who acts as a medium or fortuneteller shall be put to death by stoning; they have no one but themselves to blame for their death. (Leviticus 20:27 NAB)

Death for Homosexuals

Kill Homosexuals "If a man lies with a male as with a women, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives." (Leviticus 20:13 NAB)

Kill Witches
You should not let a sorceress live. (Exodus 22:17 NAB)

Death for hitting Dad

Whoever strikes his father or mother shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:15 NAB)

Kill the Entire Town if One Person Worships Another God

Suppose you hear in one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you that some worthless rabble among you have led their fellow citizens astray by encouraging them to worship foreign gods. In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find it is true and can prove that such a detestable act has occurred among you, you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock. Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the street and burn it. Put the entire town to the torch as a burnt offering to the LORD your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt. Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a great nation, just as he solemnly promised your ancestors. "The LORD your God will be merciful only if you obey him and keep all the commands I am giving you today, doing what is pleasing to him." (Deuteronomy 13:13-19 NLT)

Kill Women Who Are Not Virgins On Their Wedding Night

But if this charge is true (that she wasn't a virgin on her wedding night) , and evidence of the girls virginity is not found, they shall bring the girl to the entrance of her fathers house and there her townsman shall stone her to death, because she committed a crime against Israel by her unchasteness in her father's house. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst. (Deuteronomy 22:20-21 NAB)

Death for Blasphemy

Anyone who blasphemes the LORD's name must be stoned to death by the whole community of Israel. Any Israelite or foreigner among you who blasphemes the LORD's name will surely die. (Leviticus 24:10-16 NLT)

Death for People Who Work on Sunday

Yes, keep the Sabbath day, for it is holy. Anyone who desecrates it must die; anyone who works on that day will be cut off from the community. Work six days only, but the seventh day must be a day of total rest. I repeat: Because the LORD considers it a holy day, anyone who works on the Sabbath must be put to death.' (Exodus 31:12-15 NLT)

Modern Ethicists

Dr. Leon Kass on Ethics

"The human taste for immortality, for the imperishable and the eternal, is not a taste that the biomedical conquest of death could satisfy. We would still be incomplete; we would still lack wisdom; we would still lack God's presence and redemption."

Peter Singer

One could look over the past century and ask oneself, has the increased longevity been good, bad or indifferent? Leon Kass

Peter Singer
My work is based on the assumption that clarity and consistency in our moral thinking is likely, in the long run, to lead us to hold better views on ethical issues.

New Deadly Sins?

You offend God not only by stealing, blaspheming or coveting your neighbor's wife, but also by ruining the environment, carrying out morally debatable scientific experiments, or allowing genetic manipulations which alter DNA or compromise embryos.

Ben Franklins View

In 1773 Benjamin Franklin wrote an oftquoted letter in response to Jacques Dubourg. "I wish it were possible to invent a method of embalming drowned persons, in such a manner that they might be recalled to life at any period, however distant; for having a very ardent desire to see and observe the state of America a hundred years hence, I should prefer to an ordinary death, being immersed with a few friends in a cask of Madeira, until that time, then to be recalled to life by the solar warmth of my dear country! Butin all probability, we live in a century too little advanced, and too near the infancy of science, to see such an art brought in our time to its perfection"

Here is the answer. What is the Question?

Yes, absolutely

Francis Fukuyama
Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution, Fukuyama argues that biotechnology will lead to radical inequality and poison the political process.

Bill McKibben
These are the most anti-choice technologies anyone has ever thought of. (Referring to Biotechnology, Nanotech, and Robotics)

Billy Graham
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Calling Youth to Christ (1947) America's Hour of Decision (1951) I Saw Your Sons at War (1953) Peace with God (1953, 1984) Freedom from the Seven Deadly Sins (1955) The Secret of Happiness (1955, 1985) Billy Graham Talks to Teenagers (1958) My Answer (1960) Billy Graham Answers Your Questions (1960) World Aflame (1965) The Challenge (1969) The Jesus Generation (1971) Angels: God's Secret Agents (1975, 1985) How to Live by Faith in an Uncertain World

Aubrey De Grey

Is It Safe For A Biologist To Support Cryonics Publicly?

Is It Moral To Want to Live?

What about overpopulation? Do you add more value to the world than you take? What if Einstein, Robert Ingersoll, or Thomas Edison were still alive and productive?

Is Choosing Cryonics Ethical?

Alternate use of funds? Compared to current lifeextending medical practices Through life insurance, money to fund is created at time of need, does not reduce available assets Cost comparable to cup of Starbucks coffee /day

Conclusion
1. You cannot base your ethical decisions on what people allegedly said from a time when technology was non-existent. 2. For authoritarian religionists to claim the moral high ground, they must acknowledge that our actual ethics comes from experience, not scripture

3. Life is good, and a pre-requisite for doing good. It follows that your life is probably worth the affordable gamble of cryonics.