bioethics of biostasis
DESCRIPTION
The rights and wrongs of technological immortalityTRANSCRIPT
2007-11-07 [email protected] 1
The Bioethics of BiostasisThe Bioethics of Biostasis
Martine RothblattYale University Institution for
Social and Policy Studies Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics
Martine RothblattYale University Institution for
Social and Policy Studies Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics
2007-11-07 [email protected] 2
Definition of TermsDefinition of Terms
Transbeman A being desirous of human rights but not
conventionally considered so eligible, as well as other beings who self-identify with such beings
Biostasis A virtually complete and intentionally reversible arrest
of biological processes Alive
Capable under appropriate conditions of autonomous activities
Transbeman A being desirous of human rights but not
conventionally considered so eligible, as well as other beings who self-identify with such beings
Biostasis A virtually complete and intentionally reversible arrest
of biological processes Alive
Capable under appropriate conditions of autonomous activities
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Legal Definition of Death Legal Definition of Death Originally, in Common Law
“(1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions…”
After Cardio-Pulmonary Support & Organ Transplantation Created a Reason for Alternative Definition “or, (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the
entire brain, including the brain stem”Uniform Determination of Death Act, 1980-1981
National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, ABA & AMA; State laws vary slightly
Originally, in Common Law “(1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory
functions…” After Cardio-Pulmonary Support & Organ
Transplantation Created a Reason for Alternative Definition “or, (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the
entire brain, including the brain stem”Uniform Determination of Death Act, 1980-1981
National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, ABA & AMA; State laws vary slightly
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Questions Raised by 21st Century Technology
Questions Raised by 21st Century Technology
If cryonic biostasis is reversible, then aren’t cryonauts still alive?
If brain functions are transplanted to a computer before brain death, then aren’t the transplantees still alive?
If cryonic biostasis is reversible, then aren’t cryonauts still alive?
If brain functions are transplanted to a computer before brain death, then aren’t the transplantees still alive?
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Response from Current Juridico-Medical Establishment
Response from Current Juridico-Medical Establishment
Definition of Death: Subject to “accepted
medical standards” Must be “construed to
effect its general purpose.”
Cryonic Revival & Cyber-Consciousness are Now Impossible
Society Needs Certainty of Death
Definition of Death: Subject to “accepted
medical standards” Must be “construed to
effect its general purpose.”
Cryonic Revival & Cyber-Consciousness are Now Impossible
Society Needs Certainty of Death
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But it Took Only 50 Years to Go From This
But it Took Only 50 Years to Go From This
Also no skyscrapers, a/c, galaxies or nukes in 1900…
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To this!To this!
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And just 30 more years toAnd just 30 more years to
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And rapid advancement is not just in aeronautics
And rapid advancement is not just in aeronautics
1967 -- 1st Heart Transplant
2006 -- 75,000th Heart Transplant (ten per day)
1984 -- Vitrification proposed
2005 -- Kidney vitrification reversed
2001 -- 1st Human Vitrification
20?? -- Vitrification Revivals
1967 -- 1st Heart Transplant
2006 -- 75,000th Heart Transplant (ten per day)
1984 -- Vitrification proposed
2005 -- Kidney vitrification reversed
2001 -- 1st Human Vitrification
20?? -- Vitrification Revivals
1980
2005
25 yrs 41 yrs
19 yrs
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And Advancement is Exponential, Not Linear
And Advancement is Exponential, Not Linear
2007-11-07 [email protected] 11
Even Today Some Brain Functions Can Be Computerized
Even Today Some Brain Functions Can Be Computerized
Memory, pattern recognition, reasoning
Our uniqueness as people can be digitally stored and presented: Mannerisms Personality Recollections Feelings Beliefs Attitudes Values
Memory, pattern recognition, reasoning
Our uniqueness as people can be digitally stored and presented: Mannerisms Personality Recollections Feelings Beliefs Attitudes Values
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We Call These Digital Copies of Key Brain Functions “Bemes”
We Call These Digital Copies of Key Brain Functions “Bemes”
Bemes are the smallest units of our beingness
Beingness is our essential nature or character
By holding our bemes, sites like CyBeRev.org perform a brain function
A “bemenaut” has thus not ceased “all of the functions of the entire brain” -- they are alive
Bemes are the smallest units of our beingness
Beingness is our essential nature or character
By holding our bemes, sites like CyBeRev.org perform a brain function
A “bemenaut” has thus not ceased “all of the functions of the entire brain” -- they are alive
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Back to the Medico-Legal Problems
Back to the Medico-Legal Problems
Bemes are not now “accepted medical standards”
The purpose of the rules is to get you dead, definitely dead Can’t use the rules to
defeat their purpose
Bemes are not now “accepted medical standards”
The purpose of the rules is to get you dead, definitely dead Can’t use the rules to
defeat their purpose
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Solutions to Legal DeathSolutions to Legal Death
Get Psychiatry to Accept Reality of Bemes As a Brain Function
Merge Bemes with Mindware to Evidence Cyber-Consciousness
Show Cryonic Revival Persuade Society that
Death is Unnecessary
Get Psychiatry to Accept Reality of Bemes As a Brain Function
Merge Bemes with Mindware to Evidence Cyber-Consciousness
Show Cryonic Revival Persuade Society that
Death is Unnecessary
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Motivations to Get Society to Accept Cyber-Life
Motivations to Get Society to Accept Cyber-Life
Avoid bad suffering without euthanasia Ending body doesn’t end a
person’s life Gratitude to our those who
risk lives (eg cops) Shouldn’t have to lose body
and life Keep benefiting from key
contributors Comedians, Writers, Elvis,
Heroes in virtuality
Avoid bad suffering without euthanasia Ending body doesn’t end a
person’s life Gratitude to our those who
risk lives (eg cops) Shouldn’t have to lose body
and life Keep benefiting from key
contributors Comedians, Writers, Elvis,
Heroes in virtuality
2007-11-07 [email protected] 16
Society’s Deathism Is Unnecessary
Society’s Deathism Is Unnecessary
World Population Grew from 1 Billion to 6 Billion in 100 yrs
Average Lifespan Doubling ≈40 > ≈80
O’Neill Showed the Solar System Could Support >500x Earth’s Population
World Population Grew from 1 Billion to 6 Billion in 100 yrs
Average Lifespan Doubling ≈40 > ≈80
O’Neill Showed the Solar System Could Support >500x Earth’s Population
2007-11-07 [email protected] 17
Outline of Legal Petition for Biostasis Life
Outline of Legal Petition for Biostasis Life
IA. Bemes stored ex vivo, hence all functions of the brain (e.g. memory) not ceased
IB. Medical science agrees that memory is function of brain and computers
IIA. Consciousness retrievable hence no irreversible loss of that brain function either
IA. Bemes stored ex vivo, hence all functions of the brain (e.g. memory) not ceased
IB. Medical science agrees that memory is function of brain and computers
IIA. Consciousness retrievable hence no irreversible loss of that brain function either
IIB.Medical science agrees consciousness emerges from thought & not intrinsic to tissue
III. Not contrary to Act’s purposes because organ-harvest neutral
IV. Find plaintiff with no 3rd parties aggrieved by lack of death certificate, or argue Plaintiff’s interests outweigh others
IIB.Medical science agrees consciousness emerges from thought & not intrinsic to tissue
III. Not contrary to Act’s purposes because organ-harvest neutral
IV. Find plaintiff with no 3rd parties aggrieved by lack of death certificate, or argue Plaintiff’s interests outweigh others
2007-11-07 [email protected] 18
How About Real Death?How About Real Death?
Real death occurs when there is an irreversible loss of consciousness
But consciousness is subjective, and “what is irreversible” nearly so
So real death occurs when there is belief that consciousness is forever gone
Real death occurs when there is an irreversible loss of consciousness
But consciousness is subjective, and “what is irreversible” nearly so
So real death occurs when there is belief that consciousness is forever gone
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Socrates: It is only my body that is dying, not my self
Socrates: It is only my body that is dying, not my self
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Legal Death is Not Real DeathLegal Death is Not Real Death
Has the information constituting someone been irreversibly lost?
Legal death reflects society’s consensus Yes, if heart, lungs & whole
brain flatline Real death reflects
emerging realities No, if their brain is quickly
cryonicized or its material content is uploaded as bemes
Has the information constituting someone been irreversibly lost?
Legal death reflects society’s consensus Yes, if heart, lungs & whole
brain flatline Real death reflects
emerging realities No, if their brain is quickly
cryonicized or its material content is uploaded as bemes
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People Will DisagreePeople Will Disagree
Transbemans in biostasis are alive because some people (themselves at least) are sure consciousness will return to them
Transbemans in biostasis are dead to non-believers
Transbemans in biostasis are alive because some people (themselves at least) are sure consciousness will return to them
Transbemans in biostasis are dead to non-believers
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One Can Be Dead And AliveOne Can Be Dead And Alive
Mortalists: Cryonics is irreversible Even if reversed, it is a new
being born Mind-transfer is not that You are dead
Immortalists: Cryonics is reversible When reversed, same being
patterns result Mind-transfers lead to cyber-
consciousness I am alive
Mortalists: Cryonics is irreversible Even if reversed, it is a new
being born Mind-transfer is not that You are dead
Immortalists: Cryonics is reversible When reversed, same being
patterns result Mind-transfers lead to cyber-
consciousness I am alive
2007-11-07 [email protected] 23
Final AnalysisFinal Analysis
Death is irreversible end to beingness No objective answer (can’t measure) to whether or not
beingness has forever ended Death is therefore a subjective state, the objective
indicia of which can be generally agreed-upon in law and culture
Transbemans in biostasis are alive because (1) they intend to reverse their biostasis, (2) they believe their biostasis reflects their beingness, and (3) their beliefs are reasonable to at least some in their reality.
Death is irreversible end to beingness No objective answer (can’t measure) to whether or not
beingness has forever ended Death is therefore a subjective state, the objective
indicia of which can be generally agreed-upon in law and culture
Transbemans in biostasis are alive because (1) they intend to reverse their biostasis, (2) they believe their biostasis reflects their beingness, and (3) their beliefs are reasonable to at least some in their reality.
2007-11-07 [email protected] 24
How Might We Accommodate Treating Death as Subjective?How Might We Accommodate Treating Death as Subjective?
Individuals choose by contract to “opt out” of legal death via certified biostasis
National Opt-Out Registry certifies biostases programs Cryonics Firms Beme Storage Firms
Individuals choose by contract to “opt out” of legal death via certified biostasis
National Opt-Out Registry certifies biostases programs Cryonics Firms Beme Storage Firms
2007-11-07 [email protected] 25
Requirements for CertificationRequirements for Certification
Perpetual (like Alcor’s Patient Trust) Funding Dedicated to Reversibility
Research Program Focused on Revival
Compliance with “Good Biostasis Practices”
Perpetual (like Alcor’s Patient Trust) Funding Dedicated to Reversibility
Research Program Focused on Revival
Compliance with “Good Biostasis Practices”
National Death Opt-Out via Biostasis Registry“NDOBR” (endober)
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Consequences of Opting Out of Death Via NDOBR
Consequences of Opting Out of Death Via NDOBR
Death Certificate Replaced with Biostasis Certificate
No Dissolution of Marriage by Death or Loss of Property, Legal or Citizenship Rights
Decisions for Biostasee Made by Trustee
Legally the same as if biostasee were in coma
Death Certificate Replaced with Biostasis Certificate
No Dissolution of Marriage by Death or Loss of Property, Legal or Citizenship Rights
Decisions for Biostasee Made by Trustee
Legally the same as if biostasee were in coma
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ConclusionsConclusions
Transbemans in biostasis are alive because They reasonably intend their status to be reversible and
their identity to be constant Legal death is not the same thing as real death
The law will change to recognize them as living once Plaintiffs succeed in showing biostasis ≠death, or NDOBR is legislated or accepted by courts, or Reversible biostasis with seemingly constant identity is
shown & Social benefits of immortalism are shown to outweigh social interests in death
Transbemans in biostasis are alive because They reasonably intend their status to be reversible and
their identity to be constant Legal death is not the same thing as real death
The law will change to recognize them as living once Plaintiffs succeed in showing biostasis ≠death, or NDOBR is legislated or accepted by courts, or Reversible biostasis with seemingly constant identity is
shown & Social benefits of immortalism are shown to outweigh social interests in death
2007-11-07 [email protected] 28
A National Opt-Out Registry Is Something We Can Do Now
A National Opt-Out Registry Is Something We Can Do Now
Respects the great Western value of individual choice
Provides an alternative to a death certificate
Commences regularization of biostasis firms
Respects the great Western value of individual choice
Provides an alternative to a death certificate
Commences regularization of biostasis firms