[extropy-chat] Cryonics questions...

[Heartland]

Anna:
> Is mind solely information and is the brain just
> matter?

The physical essence of mind is an activity of matter in time and space. 
Information cannot store activity itself while static matter by itself isn't 
activity so a frozen, static brain matter plus information about the structure of 
that brain is not enough to preserve an instance of a mind because laws of physics 
simply do not allow it. It's not a conventional view even among transhumanists, but 
I'm confident that with time it will be accepted as an undisputed fact.

Even though an *instance* of mind cannot be preserved, cryonics should be able to 
preserve the *type* of the mind. You just need to decide what's more important to 
you, your type or your instance. If it's type then I think it would be a good idea 
to sign up for suspension. If it's instance, then I'm afraid that time travel 
technology is the only hope.

S.