Cryonics   Term Paper ID:27398 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Discusses the idea that a human body can be frozen & returned to life at a later date. Examines the practices of Alcor, a company which sells cryonic services.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Discusses the idea that a human body can be frozen & returned to life at a later date. Examines the practices of Alcor, a company which sells cryonic services. Paper Introduction: Cryonics has been presented by proponents as a potential scientific breakthrough whereby the dead can be preserved until such time as science and medicine have advanced to the point where a cure has been found for whatever caused the individual's death in the first place, while opponents see cryonics as a scam to dupe the gullible. Cryonics is a relatively new procedure, though the principle on which it is based has been discussed for some time in both science fiction and medical circles. Cryonics has the potential to become a real process that might prolong life, but currently we do not know enough to place much faith in it or to expend money on cryonic preservation. The company that is already making use of this technology is Alcor, which in 1987 was in Riverside, California. The business is based on a series of facts told to potential customers: 1) human Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. The company that is already making use of this technology is Alcor,which in 1987 was in Riverside, California. Cryonics and embryos and sperm D. Proponents 2. Technology for cures 3. Introduction A. In 1994, Alcor moved its operation to Scottsdale, Arizona. The bodies and the heads arepreserved in liquid nitrogen at minus 321 degrees Fahrenheit (Giblin 8). Freezing bodies 2. Opponents B. Cryonics at present not a viable procedureII. Deep cooling follows as the body is lowered either headfirst or head only into a large stainless steel cylinder. Emergency Medical Team B. In 1967, James Bedford, a 73-year-oldpsychology professor, was the first to be frozen shortly after his death.His body is with the Alcor Life Extension Foundation to this day, alongwith 32 other "patients." The method used by Alcor begins when theindividual faces an accident or medical emergency. Conclusion The idea of returning to life at some point after death is an ancientone. However, manydoctors believe that medical technology will never advance to a stage wherephysicians will be able to repair the damage caused by the freezing andthawing processes themselves, let alone the medical ailments that killedthe patients. The company freezes either theentire body or merely the heads (the latter in the belief that they can becloned or transplanted in the future). "Confessions of a Cryonicist." Omni (February 1992), 28.Stuttaford, Andrew. "Frozen Future." National Review (September 2, 1996), 3 -31. Preparation of body C. Cell damage B. Facts told to customers 1. Cryonics--definition 1. Difficulty of succeedingV. FreezingIV. "Cryogenics Gets Cold Shoulder from Critics." The Business Journal (February 25, 1994), 8.Platt, Charles. A human body is infinitely more complex than sperm or earlyembryos. Cryonics has thepotential to become a real process that might prolong life, but currentlywe do not know enough to place much faith in it or to expend money oncryonic preservation. The body is then cooled down to 196 degreesCentigrade. Move to Scottsdale 1. Started in Riverside B. Alcor A. Cryonics is a relatively newprocedure, though the principle on which it is based has been discussed forsome time in both science fiction and medical circles. Freezing headsIII. Benjamin Franklin wanted to be immersed in a cask of Madeira wineuntil he could be recalled to life by the warmth of the sun. Even if it worked, note these skeptics, it is far from clear thatthe patient's mind would be preserved as well (Stuttaford 31). Once the contract is made,the individual wears a bracelet with instructions for medical personnel incase of a serious accident (Platt 28). Methods of freezing A. If the client has opted for "neurosuspension" alone, the headis now removed. the firmoperates in a room where the freezing process can be performed and wherestorage space exists for 6 to 7 patients. Alcor claims that the procedure is similar to that usedsuccessfully to preserve sperm, early embryos, and corneas. Use of cryonics elsewhere 2. For this process to be successful, each cell in the body must befrozen and thawed absolutely correctly, which is unlikely (Giblin 8).Conventional cryobiologists are those who freeze sperm and embryos, andthey are skeptical because of the extensive cell damage associated withdeath. Works CitedGiblin, Paul. Costs C. The idea ofcryonics was developed in the 196 s. The body is rapidly cooled down and placedin a special traveling pack after a procedure that involves preservatives,ice, and Maalox. OUTLINEI. There are many critics who point to fallacies in the promise of thisprocedure. An Alcor EmergencyResponse team arrives with CPR support to maintain blood flow to the brainand to reduce ischemic damage. When the body arrives at the Alcor facility, a glycerol-based solution is pumped through the system to reduce the tissue damagecaused by freezing. The business is based on aseries of facts told to potential customers: 1) human tissue, when suitablyprepared, can be frozen with negligible damage; 2) the new science ofnanotechnology offers hope for repairing some biological damage that istoday considered irreparable; 3) small human embryos have already beenfrozen to the temperature of liquid nitrogen and successfully revived.Cryonics costs a minimum of $41, , a fee that can be covered by a life-insurance policy making Alcor the beneficiary. This is thestorage in which the individual waits for a cure and revival (Stuttaford 3 -31). Cryonics has been presented by proponents as a potential scientificbreakthrough whereby the dead can be preserved until such time as scienceand medicine have advanced to the point where a cure has been found forwhatever caused the individual's death in the first place, while opponentssee cryonics as a scam to dupe the gullible. Criticisms A. By 1996, the range of pricescharged by Alcor was between $5 , and $12 , (Stuttaford 31). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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