Cryonics and philosophy of science
The 2008-3 issue of Alcor’s Cryonics Magazine contains a number of articles about the pitfalls of (excessive) scientific optimism and its potential adverse effects on the organizational and practical aspects of cryonics. My own contribution contrasts cryonics as medical conservatism with the kind of scientific meliorism that is often associated with movements such as transhumanism [...]
Lisbon Noir
My good friend Veronique Rinaldi has launched a blog called Lisbon Noir that features beautiful photography of various locations in Lisbon, Portugal. So far the blog has posted entries on abandoned industrial locations, water reservoirs, cemeteries, chocolate stores, and the minimalist art of Dan Flavin.
The unity of science
From the preface of Michael Munowitz’s Principles of Chemistry: The wonder of the world is not its complexity, but its simplicity. Given enough color and canvas, anybody can make a mess; that, we do ourselves. More to admire is the artist who makes do with little, the artist whose art is to conceal an economy [...]
CPR: A pair of hands aren’t enough
CPR: A Pair of Hands Aren’t Enough: You Also Need a Heart and a Brain “Anyone, anywhere, can now initiate cardiac resuscitation procedures. All that is needed are two hands.” [Kouwenhoven WB, Jude J, Knickerbocker G. Closed chest cardiac massage. JAMA 1960;173:1064–7. Sudden Cardiac Arrest Figure 1: Mortality from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in 2004 [...]
Ben Best on nuclear DNA damage and aging
The June 2009 issue of Rejuvenation Research features an article by Cryonics Insitute President Ben Best about the involvement of nuclear DNA damage in the aging process: Abstract This paper presents evidence that damage to nuclear DNA (nDNA) is a direct cause of aging in addition to the effects of nDNA damage on cancer, apoptosis, [...]
The emergence of local cryonics
Real estate is all about location, location, location. Location matters in cryonics as well. The objective of standby and stabilization in cryonics is to limit injury to the brain after pronouncement of legal death. Unfortunately, many cryonics patients have not been stabilized promptly after pronouncement of legal death because the cryonics organization did a poor [...]
CPR and the breath of death?
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7 For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth. – Sanskrit Proverb In the Beginning… Since the beginning of modern [...]
The scientific conception of the world
The Scientific Conception of the World: The Vienna Circle (Wissenschaftliche Weltauffassung: Der Wiener Kreis)
CPR: new standards; new needs
In 2005 the American heart association revised its standards for CPR increasing the number of compressions from 80 cpm to 100 cpm, eliminating pauses for ventilation, and urging that focus be shifted to compressions (perfusion) rather than ventilation. This latter change is more profound than it might seem at first glance. In the past, a [...]
