I think this is worth it’s own post but in light of my last discussion catching fire and burning to the ground, I have decided to request a critique on this one before posting in discussions:
Cryonics Moral Dilemma
Since joining LessWrong, I’ve been thinking about cryo a lot, and have encountered a dilemma:
Cryo costs tens of thousands of dollars, and it’s not guaranteed to save even one life.
I don’t see how I would ever justify signing up, myself, unless I show that I’m capable of making a large enough difference in the world that rescuing my difference making abilities justifies the risk and cost.
Wow okay. I didn’t expect to find such good arguments. I am still not adjusted to the intelligence level here. Well, different new discussion idea then.
For me the argument is the same as for why I don’t live a pauper and give all my wealth to charity: Selfishness. I know that I can feed someone for a long time on the money I spend on a trip somewhere, and I still prefer to take the trip. I will spend a lot more money on myself than I will on a friend, and a lot more on a friend than on a stranger.
If cryonics works, then money spent on cryonics is much more of an investment than money spent on conventional charity. Several million people die every month. Malaria nets can only stop a small fraction of that, no matter how many are made, but cryonics can stop almost all of it—if it works. Anything done in support of cryonics in its fledgling form will help it to scale up.
The future won’t revive you because it needs you to solve the Y3K problem, but we also don’t save children from dying in order that they can go back to work the next day. Cryonics is a way to stop a life from being cut off, with the side effect that the cryonaut wakes up as a mere human in a transhuman world. If it’s a friendly place, they’ll have a chance to grow into their new world as an equal and a participant.
I have finally gotten the ass-kicking I needed. Though not especially in my elitism thread, it was spread out… Wedrifid showed me arguments good enough to corner mine. Kindly provided a wonderfully devastating critique of my poll. Gwern’s website shows that he’s so well-read that I felt like an idiot. Eliezer’s “The Magnitude of His Own Folly” depicted a deep acknowledgement of the terrible nature of reality that I found moving because it made him neither paranoid or unambitious—I relate to this but I haven’t seen anyone like that before. You always seem to be there to say something snide, making my overconfidence think twice while Morendil typed me up a refreshing batch of sanity.
These are exciting.
I haven’t felt so much respect and faith in humanity for a long time.
I was getting apathetic because of it.
Now my self-confidence is right about where it should be.
I decided to commit to reading the major sequences, and I’m considering reading them all. I previously did lots of things like learning about logical fallacies and razing my cached thoughts years ago, so these aren’t as dense in new information as they’d be otherwise, but I’m learning to communicate with you guys and I’m enjoying Eliezer’s brilliance.
I think this is worth it’s own post but in light of my last discussion catching fire and burning to the ground, I have decided to request a critique on this one before posting in discussions:
Cryonics Moral Dilemma
Since joining LessWrong, I’ve been thinking about cryo a lot, and have encountered a dilemma:
According to GiveWell, “We estimate that giving a few thousand dollars to AMF likely saves a person’s life.” (They do malaria bed nets if you’re not familiar).
Cryo costs tens of thousands of dollars, and it’s not guaranteed to save even one life.
I don’t see how I would ever justify signing up, myself, unless I show that I’m capable of making a large enough difference in the world that rescuing my difference making abilities justifies the risk and cost.
This also means “Reddit, help me find some peace I’m dying young” is a cute puppy dog cause. :/
Does anyone relate? What are your thoughts?
please critique the proposed discussion post
This idea has been covered on Less Wrong before. I’ll spend the next minute looking up some links.
EDIT: Years saved: Cryonics vs VillageReach
Against Cryonics & For Cost-Effective Charity
There’s already discussion about cryonics and charitable giving in the Reddit, help me find some peace I’m dying young thread.
There is a discussion thread in Normal Cryonics about charity vs. cryonics. See in particular this comment.
Wow okay. I didn’t expect to find such good arguments. I am still not adjusted to the intelligence level here. Well, different new discussion idea then.
For me the argument is the same as for why I don’t live a pauper and give all my wealth to charity: Selfishness. I know that I can feed someone for a long time on the money I spend on a trip somewhere, and I still prefer to take the trip. I will spend a lot more money on myself than I will on a friend, and a lot more on a friend than on a stranger.
Note: I am not signed up for Cryonics.
If cryonics works, then money spent on cryonics is much more of an investment than money spent on conventional charity. Several million people die every month. Malaria nets can only stop a small fraction of that, no matter how many are made, but cryonics can stop almost all of it—if it works. Anything done in support of cryonics in its fledgling form will help it to scale up.
The future won’t revive you because it needs you to solve the Y3K problem, but we also don’t save children from dying in order that they can go back to work the next day. Cryonics is a way to stop a life from being cut off, with the side effect that the cryonaut wakes up as a mere human in a transhuman world. If it’s a friendly place, they’ll have a chance to grow into their new world as an equal and a participant.
Grats, you are catching on :)
(: Thanks, Shminux.
I have finally gotten the ass-kicking I needed. Though not especially in my elitism thread, it was spread out… Wedrifid showed me arguments good enough to corner mine. Kindly provided a wonderfully devastating critique of my poll. Gwern’s website shows that he’s so well-read that I felt like an idiot. Eliezer’s “The Magnitude of His Own Folly” depicted a deep acknowledgement of the terrible nature of reality that I found moving because it made him neither paranoid or unambitious—I relate to this but I haven’t seen anyone like that before. You always seem to be there to say something snide, making my overconfidence think twice while Morendil typed me up a refreshing batch of sanity.
These are exciting.
I haven’t felt so much respect and faith in humanity for a long time.
I was getting apathetic because of it.
Now my self-confidence is right about where it should be.
I decided to commit to reading the major sequences, and I’m considering reading them all. I previously did lots of things like learning about logical fallacies and razing my cached thoughts years ago, so these aren’t as dense in new information as they’d be otherwise, but I’m learning to communicate with you guys and I’m enjoying Eliezer’s brilliance.