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The Bioethical Implications, Dilemmas And Questions Involved With Cryonic Suspension.
By Gina Miller
The concept of being resurrected from the dead is not a new one. The quest for human immortality has been demonstrated in many ways: resurrection, heaven, re-incarnation, and ghosts, leaving long lasting imprints of ourselves in our work, such as writing, Egyptian mummification and even vampire stories. Immortality is a very ancient part of mythology. Gilgamesh c.2700BC who lived in what is now Iraq, is one of the oldest recorded stories of man's search for immortality. Gilgamesh is listed as an actual Sumerian king of his time but in the mythical epic is portrayed as a half God half human being who searches for answers to avoid death, but fails because it is the wrong quest for a human and dies1. Lucretious ca. 98-55 BC, an Epicurean philosopher, did not believe in a potential state of immortality but as an early believer in the atomic structure speculated that perhaps one could be rebuilt by reassembling the atomic structure of a human being2.
Nikolai Fedorov (1829-1903) a schoolteacher and librarian in Moscow, was one of the first to consider actually bringing back the already dead by using science3. This is where it becomes a question of morality versus mortality, as a Christian man who suggested immortality that could be obtained by means other than divine intervention. It is interesting to note however, that even previous to Fedorov a letter in response to Jacques Dubourg was written by a very famous man in 1773. Benjamin Franklin wrote "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! But…in 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…I am, etc. B.Franklin"4.
Humans have a natural tendency, using a rational mind, to want to be immortal as exemplified by the Egyptian and Sumerian rituals and religious thought. The desire to be immortal is an extension of self-preservation, which humans as well as animals have been equipped with, it is part of the survival of the fittest scenario. When we are placed in critical situations, our body responds chemically with the fight or flight adrenalin rush, and we choose one in an unconscious response to preserve our lives. We take medication so that we may be healthier or to treat a disease. The health market is a major industry and everyone knows that being healthier means living longer. Many people stop smoking in hopes that it will add a few years to their lives. As we advance in medicine and technology there are more options available to extend our lives, and with that, those who feel there is a point at which we have too much technological aid. I will discuss this more when it becomes apparent in the controversy related to cryonic suspension.
As early as the sixteenth century small organisms were known to be revived after being frozen. Robert Boyle, an English scientist, reported successfully reanimated frogs and fish that had been frozen5. In my own personal life I experienced this natural wonder. My grandparents had property in Termo, California. I spent my summers there as a child. There was a windmill that connected to a water trough which produced water into a manmade pond. In the water trough my grandmother kept rather large goldfish. In the winter the water in the trough would freeze and the fish would be frozen still. One summer I returned to the property and I saw the fish swimming about. I asked my grandmother if she had put in new fish. She said "no, they are they're the same fish". So I marked the fish and waited for winter and another season of summer. The fish were swimming, and my marks were on them. I should have known never to doubt grandmother. They were the same fish. I thought, "I wish, I wish I was like a fish."
Major advances that elevated the way we think about death began to transpire in the twentieth century. In 1946 Jean Rostand found that glycerol was a protectant for animal tissue6. Cells could also be frozen and then resuscitated. In 1965 Kobe University in Japan removed a cat's brain from its body, filled it with glycerol and froze it for six months. After the brain had been brought back up to room temperature, it demonstrated brain activity7. Traditional medicine was also making great strides. People were actually being revived from what was a previously thought state of death. Medicine was advancing and it was reviving us.
In 1967 the first man to be successfully placed in cryonic suspension was James Bedford a psychology professor. He died of renal cancer at the age of 73 years old8. This was done at the Cryonics Society of California. He is still in biostasis, at Alcor Life Extension Foundation9. Since that time more Cryonics companies have been developed and over 100 people10 are currently in the state of cryonic suspension. Almost a thousand people are currently signed up for cryo suspension10 at the time of their death. A person who wants to become suspended will select which company they want to provide the service. The most common way to make payment would be to obtain a life insurance policy and make that company the beneficiary. They then receive a bracelet and/or necklace that tells EMT's or hospital staff to call a number and what to do and not do to the patient in their care. The staff of the cryonics company will then fly out to obtain the body and bring it back to their facility. Once there the body is cooled by packing in ice, and a cryoprotectant (equivalent to antifreeze) is put inside of the body until finally put in a tank of liquid nitrogen at a temperature of minus-196 degrees Celsius.
No one has been revived yet. For one to be revived would require to repair what killed the person, the effects of aging, as well as the freezing damage. A person who signs up for cryonic suspension has the hope that future advanced technologies will be able to revive them. For the most part the emerging science of nanotechnology11 is a good candidate to some day have this capability. In 1994 Charles Platt, Vice President, CryoCare Foundation wrote: "…a book by Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation was published in 1986. Drexler proposed the concept of nanotechnology-machines on the molecular scale, theoretically capable of repairing individual cells. At last, cryonics advocates were able to describe exactly how they hoped future science could undo the freezing damage that still tended to occur even when cryoprotectants were used"12. With such an advanced technology that could reanimate a cryonic suspendee, there is also the consideration that they could live for an indefinite amount of time, in a youthful state.
There have been some legal issues involved with cryonic suspension. Dora Kent was at death's door in 1987 at age eighty three, and her son, Saul Kent had her transferred to the cryonics company, Alcor, where she died. The Alcor crew put her head in suspension, what is known as neurosuspension. The trouble was, when the mortuary received only part of Dora's body for cremation the police got involved and there was talk of a murder charge13. The autopsy proved pneumonia was the cause of death, but the police wanted her head. Eventually the courts ruled in favor of Alcor and the charges were dismissed. In 1988 Thomas Donaldson, a mathematician, had a brain tumor and worried that the damage over time done to his brain by the tumor would prevent a more successful revival from cryonic suspension. Donaldson appealed to the courts to be frozen before legal death. His request was denied14. In July 2002 when former Red Sox baseball player Ted Williams passed away, his family members had a very publicized debate over his personal wishes as to being cryonically suspended15. Currently the legal battle has calmed down and Ted is housed at the Alcor facilities. The Ted Williams case brought cryonics and the ethical debate to major broadcast media and into the living rooms of the American people.
Why is cryonics such a controversial topic? Since the dawn of humanity people have been born to expect death. So far, everyone who has ever lived has died, excluding the Gods. Perhaps this parallel alone projects an air of blasphemy that is means for controversy. As the epic of Gilgamesh, in the end of his journey for immortality, he is told that his humanity requires him to accept death, that it is right. What makes something right? If it has never been done before does this plant a seed of fear so strong that it appears to be wrong? We are conditioned to accept death. We have cultivated vast beliefs to alleviate our fears of death. If we are good in life, we will be compensated with a vastly rewarding heaven in the after world, where no pain exists. This and other afterworld beliefs create a hope instead of that ever so final non existence. We have, in essence created an alternate immortality to the scientific one proposed by cryonic suspension.
"It's not natural!" say opponents. How substantial is this claim. It may indeed not be natural, yes, death is natural. But when one looks around in the current world we live in, there are a plethora of examples of the unnatural, even in methods used to extend our lives. Computers, hospitals with electronic equipment, drugs consumed to interfere with viruses and disease, prosthetics, contact lenses, warm clothes, heaters, gym equipment, processed vitamin supplements, hearing aides, pace makers, and even synthetic organs. This is evidence that we have adapted to our technological progress enough to aid in extending our own humanity. One could argue that many of these devices are provided by modern medicine on the grounds of current medical ethics. Medical ethics presupposes that it is good to provide good health and with that, as much life as possible. This is what cryonics wishes to provide as well, and yet mainstream medicine often concludes cryonics is a quackery. Why sell a service when there is no evidence that it works? Cryonicists provide honest information for the prospective patient, so that they may choose through informed consent if they are willing to take that gamble. Many of the greatest advances in medicine were based on experiments in which the results were previously unknown. In contrast to the medical ethics of good health, opponents of cryonics suggest that we should not have all of the health and life we want, but that it should be limited.
In Bill McKibben's book, Enough16, he says: "Without mortality, no time. All moments would be equal; the deep sad, human wisdom of Ecclesiastes would vanish. If for everything there is an endless season, then there is also no right season. No time to be born, nor to mourn, nor rejoice, nor die. 'Anytime' is not the same as time that matters. The future stretches before you endlessly flat." Why should this make any difference in cherishing time? Time would still exist, it would just be a longer amount of time. Let's think about our natural lifespan. I am young enough that I can expect to live another 60 years, that is a rather long time. Does my assumption that I have years of life to live cause this moment in time to be flat? I do not find this season of life any less valuable or meaningless simply because I expect future seasons. I cherish every season. Today is as meaningful to me as tomorrow is and will be. McKibben's statement also underscores the sentiment that living indefinitely would be too long, and too banal. In today's current life expectancy there are days or moments in which people can get bored. Does this provoke the response "I'm bored, I don't even know why I'm alive, I want to die"? It is a particular situation that is boring, not life. With all the time in the world, you could read every book you have ever wanted to read, and become a master of various subjects. Intellect could perhaps become greatly expanded. It is this last point that also creates a fear, a fear of the superhuman.
Many people fear having these advanced options for humanity would exaggerate even further those who excel and those who do not excel in our already competitive society. Imagine in the age of this superhuman how far advanced the world would have to be. To revive someone, and for them to continue in an age defying life, technology would have had to come a long way. This technology would be available for all, so that everyone could have the same options to go as far as they are willing to go. The world that a cryonics patient would wake up to, would already be a world of intense technological phenomena. Historically speaking, someone from the past could be a direct link to our ancestral culture. Those who wish to carry on life in the usual timely manner, could and should morally be able to do so, but they too would have the added benefit of an actual person who knows intimate knowledge of the past. For example imagine if a human being from the age that Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, King Tut, Alexander The Great, or Pythagoras lived and could divulge to us, all about living in that time.
In the case of Ted Williams all of the televised news stations discussed or debated the cryonics issue. On the CBS news the estranged daughter of Ted Williams, Bobby Joe Ferrell said "my dad is in a metal tube, on his head. So frozen that if I touched him, it would crack him because of the warmth from my fingertip"17. We are talking about someone who is already dead. If we took the typical burial options and evaluate them, it could be even more revolting then that of cryonic suspension. When one is buried deep beneath the ground in a box, eventually the worms and other critters arrive to feast. If we are cremated, our body is burned and the bones that remain require some further crushing. Pretty nasty sounding stuff isn't it? One could argue that cryonic suspension is an alternate form of burial, after all if opponents have already decided that it won't work than it should be considered a person's right to burial. A talk show radio WEEI 850am disc jockey said about the Ted Williams cryonics case "It's macabre, the whole thing is macabre"18. How is it any more macabre than loss of life or what happens to our bodies traditionally after death? In fact, it is death itself that is more definitive of the word macabre than is a potential second chance at life.
If cryonic suspension does not work, then there is nothing lost and the dead will simply continue to remain dead. If it does work and those who sign up are willing to take the risk that it may not, they ultimately have everything to gain. There have indeed been hopeful signs, in the mid eighties there was the case of Miles the dog, a beagle who had his blood replaced with protectant and cooled to the almost freezing point, by Paul Segall of University California at Berkeley and director of the Trans Time Inc. cryonics company. Miles had his blood returned and was restored to a typical dog state, making guest appearances on the Phil Donahue show and People Magazine19. Scientists have also now successfully froze embryos, sperm, corneas and even got a rat's frozen heart pumping again20.
Perhaps one day humans will reawake from death and make a giant leap for all of humanity in the process. With continued research in understanding of the brain along with future technological advances, the best outcome would be the return of the cryonic patient's memories and self. The legal rights over ones body is an eminent factor in providing this possibility. Although rights over ones body is important in many other situations, and the controversies continue to remain heated, there are other obstacles aside from an individual's bodily rights. In a recent article at Reason Online, Ronald Bailey writes "…the President's Council on Bioethics is now considering whether or not it is ethical to pursue biomedical research aimed at extending human life spans. Last month the Council met to discuss the staff working paper 'Age-Retardation: Scientific Possibilities and Moral Challenges'…the paper worries…age retardation might undermine 'the meaning of the life cycle' so that we would not be able to make sense of what time, age, and change should mean to us'…Longer lives could also slow down 'innovation and 'change' since 'innovation is often the function of a new generation of leaders."21 I suggest the paper in question is actively participating in age discrimination. The document suggests that those who live extended lives, will demonstrate a lack of innovation and change, this is an ironic statement since this is exactly what they are protesting, innovation and change. Now, this article is referring to consideration of life extension which is far from cryonic suspension. It appears as though the powers that be are deciding if it's good for us to live longer! What is more, that it is perhaps bad for us to live long lives. This is disheartening and an important political realization.
The vision of the reanimated cryonics patient is a symbol of hope. Hope for what the world may one day become, a world without disease, right here on earth. Cryonic suspension, nanotechnology and immortality are all hyper linked and all highly controversial issues. If Bill McKibben had his way, we would not progress as a society but remain stagnate, perhaps even regress. Let's imagine this on a personal level. What if you or I never evolved and never learned new things but remained the same, out of fear? Fear of change is often the culprit of preventing progress. Yet without change, we would not grow and that is the true joy in life. We have the capability to grow in knowledge, grow in relationships, advance our skills, change and develop into better human beings. The same holds true for us as a society. Growth will happen. As we evolve and become more advanced, it is undeniable that we will progress, and progress, could mean, success.
Reference:
1. World Literature http://novaonline.nv...gameshstudy.htm
2. A. Forever For All by R. Michael Perry page 30 B. Lucretious was a believer that atoms existed before they were generally accepted in the early 20th century by scientists.
3. Forever For All by R. Michael Perry page 33
4. Engines of Creation by K. Eric Drexler http://www.foresight.org/EOC/
5. Forever For All by R. Michael Perry page 37
6. Man Into Superman R.C.W. Ettinger page 231
7. Forever For All by R. Michael Perry page 39
8. The Spike by Damien Broderick page 56
9. Alcor Life Extension Foundation http://www.alcor.org
10. Alcor Life Extension Foundation http://www.alcor.org...onics/index.htm
11. Engines of Creation by K. Eric Drexler, The Foresight Institute http://www.foresight.org, Nanotechnology Industries http://www.nanoindustries.com
12. The "Impossible" Dream by Charles Platt http://www.cryocare.org/history.txt
13. Great Mambo Chicken & The Transhumanist Condition by Ed Regis chapter 3
14. Forever For All by R. Michael Perry page 41
15. The Boston Globe http://www.boston.co...s_frozen .shtml
16. Enough by Bill McKibben
17. CBS segment from 48 Hours (video taped television)
18. ABC news Talk Radio WEEI 850am Sports Radio (video taped television)
19. Great Mambo Chicken &The Transhuman Condition by Ed Regis page 91
20. MSNBC affiliate WHDK in Boston (video taped television)
21. Reason Online April 9, 2003 http://www.reason.co.../rb040903.shtml
By Gina Miller this document was a research paper originally written for a bioethics class taught by Dr. Tom Kerns.
By Gina Miller
Imaginary Conversation
Article Source
Cryonic Suspension
Characters:
Nikolai1-A man who recently signed up for cryonic suspension.
Bertrand2 - A man who believes that death is inevitable.
Nikolai I signed up for cryonic suspension.
Bertrand Cryonic suspension?
Nikolai Yes, you know, after I die, they come and get me and store me in liquid nitrogen until they can bring me back to life.
Bertrand Have they brought anyone back yet?
Nikolai No.
Bertrand Then how do you know it's going to work?
Nikolai I don't, but if it doesn't work, I'll just still be dead, so I have nothing to lose. If there is a 0.1% chance that it might work, it's better than the 100% no chance of coming back that I would have if I was buried.
Bertrand That's creepy, your body floating around for who knows how long.
Nikolai Well, that's not really what I want to do. I'd rather live forever from right now, here in this lifetime. But if our lives are not able to be extended while I am alive, I'll use cryonic suspension as a back up plan.
Bertrand You won't go to heaven, I look forward to seeing my family members up there when I die!
Nikolai I hope you do see them. But, I want to live, here on earth, there are so many things I could do if I had all of the time in the world to do them.
Bertrand But what about your soul? Where is your soul when you are in that tank?
Nikolai My soul is contained within the physical construct of my brain. This is where my memories are stored, and my personality has been cultivated.
Bertrand What if your memories don't come back?
Nikolai That's a good question. What we know now about the brain, would not be enough to understand how memories work, there is a possibility that I would be rebuilt using my own DNA, but that my memories could be wiped out. This is why brain research is so important, to understand the brain would help to preserve it's contents. I hope that in the future, this will be possible.
Bertrand If you were revived without your memories, you would be like a baby, and have no understanding of the world. You would have to learn everything over again.
Nikolai That's a risk that I am willing to take. What if in the process of reanimation my memories are restored, since we haven't revived anyone, we do not know if this will happen or not. But, since I know that technology would have to be really advanced for cryonics patients to be revived, this means that there is a good possibilities that many technologies will be advanced, including restoring memories.
Bertrand What about what you would wake up to? You would have no friends or family?
Nikolai While my family members do not share my vision of the future and are not signed up I have friends that I have made throughout this process that do, so they will be there.
Bertrand Yes, but what else will be there? You don't know what the world will be like, it could be an ugly future, you wouldn't know how things work, that would be scary.
Nikolai I look forward to the future. I have considered the future greatly, this is required if you are aiming for an extended life span or in my case immortality. Waking up to the future would be a great adventure.
Bertrand It could be a bad adventure!
Nikolai It could be, you are right, but tomorrow could hold a bad adventure for me too. There is no way to tell the future from a minute from now to 100 years from now.
Bertrand I don't know, when my time comes, it's my time to go. I wouldn't want to live that long anyways.
Nikolai Why not? What if tomorrow was your time to come, would you want to die?
Bertrand No, but it's not my decision. Fate decides. Everything happens for a reason.
Nikolai I understand that we need to believe that, to make sense of it all. But, as I get older I realize I never have enough time, there are never enough hours in the day. I predict that with the given lifespan, I will not have accomplished everything I want to.
Bertrand That's just more reason to appreciate the time we do have, and make the most of it.
Nikolai I can appreciate that, if I only live in this lifetime, or longer. That's a good attitude to have.
1. The name Nikolai is borrowed from a real man, Nikolai Fedorov (1829-1903), who began thinking about how one could be returned from death by using science.
2. The name Bertrand is borrowed from a real man, Bertrand Russell a British philosopher who so strongly believed that death can not be avoided he suggests acceptance.
These characters comments are strictly fiction and have no relation to words spoken by the names by which the characters have borrowed.
By Gina Miller - this document was a supplement to research paper originally written for a bioethics class taught by Dr. Tom Kerns. © Copyright Gina Miller May 31, 2003 no reproduction or distribution of this document without authors approval.
