I just ran the numbers assuming I pay US $3000 /year (I forget Hoffman’s actual figure) for 33 years (mind you, I think deathtimer.com is too pessimistic there) discounted at 3% /year (the average annual inflation rate since 1913 equals 3.24%). The EPA set the value of a human life at $9.1 million two years ago. Perhaps I’m rigging the numbers by updating this for (actual) inflation and only discounting it by the 1/1500 probability. But I first estimated the value of my own life at $20 million, and I don’t think I’d actually kill myself in return for (say) an SI donation that size.
The ‘official’ numbers would appear to make cryonics under-priced by $1403 in present value. (Edited to use official figures.)
Poking at deathtimer I’m not sure it’s adjusting for “you’ve already lived to age X”. It says I’ll probably live to 77 which is pretty close to what this table has for my life expectancy at birth.
I just ran the numbers assuming I pay US $3000 /year (I forget Hoffman’s actual figure) for 33 years (mind you, I think deathtimer.com is too pessimistic there) discounted at 3% /year (the average annual inflation rate since 1913 equals 3.24%). The EPA set the value of a human life at $9.1 million two years ago. Perhaps I’m rigging the numbers by updating this for (actual) inflation and only discounting it by the 1/1500 probability. But I first estimated the value of my own life at $20 million, and I don’t think I’d actually kill myself in return for (say) an SI donation that size.
The ‘official’ numbers would appear to make cryonics under-priced by $1403 in present value. (Edited to use official figures.)
Poking at deathtimer I’m not sure it’s adjusting for “you’ve already lived to age X”. It says I’ll probably live to 77 which is pretty close to what this table has for my life expectancy at birth.
Plus it’s definitely not adjusting for potential future medical advances.