Cryogenics and Legality

"When immortality is outlawed, only outlaws will be immortal" (Eleventh Hour). This quote really appealed to me; the logic behind it is intriguing, so I did what any good nerd would do - thinking and writing with a bit of researching thrown in for good measure.

Perhaps some background information to understand the context of the quote would be beneficial. Eleventh Hour is a program on CBS about a genius scientist named Jacob Hood who works with the FBI to investigate scientifically odd crimes. Picture Weird Science meets ER meets Criminal Minds. I think of it as CBS's answer to Fox's Fringe. Oh, and as a side note, the show was produced by the infamous Jerry Bruckheimer, the same guy who produced the CSIs, Without a Trace, Amazing Race, etc. Anyway back to outlaws and immortality.

In this particular episode, Hood is called in to investigate a death by freezing. In the course of the investigation, it is discovered that the chemical compound causing the deaths (yeah, more than one) is connected to a company called Forever Forward whose mission is to preserve people for later reanimation. The killer's philosophy of death (we should accept it) is threatened by this company, and hence he kills off people who sign a contract to put their heads in the freezer.

Hood and his partner/bodyguard, FBI Agent Rachel Young, discuss the science and the ethics of cryogenics (proper term for the head in the freezer). Hood believes that both the science and the ethics are a bit questionable, so Young asks if Hood believes cryogenics should be illegal. Hence, the intriguing quote.

More on cryogenics: The term denotes the study of low temperatures and how various materials behave at those temps. Popularly, it is a term used to refer to the act of preserving the human mind. Technically when referring to pulling a Walt Disney (did you know he froze his head?), the term cryonics should be used. So, cryonics then.

Now, the main problem with freezing a brain for future reanimation is ice crystals, like freezer burn for the brain. Not a pretty thought. Through a process called vitrification brain tissue can be cooled without ice formation. In the most simplistic terms what happens is that the water which would typically freeze into ice crystals is slowed to the point of becoming a static solid without ever freezing. And now I have a picture of the juicy parts of my brain becoming a solid. Yep. That's excellent.

The Cryonics Institute assures us that "damage associated with this process is theoretically reversible in the same sense that rejuvenation is theoretically possible by specific foreseeable technology." I'm sorry but that is just not the most solid of promises. These two "theoretically possible" actions are absolute necessities for cryonics to be sane and I have a sinking suspicion that some of these "specific foreseeable technolog[ies]" were seen on the SciFi channel.

And that is just one small part of the fuzzy science to this whole convoluted process. The big question in my mind is as follows: Say they do find a way to un-vitrify my brain, turning the now-solid water into normal-flowy water, and say they find a way to reanimate my brain, jump starting it back into action, and say they manage to attach my floating head onto a body, I'm assuming the head should have a body...say all of that happens, will I still be there?

First, I have a bit of difficulty believing that the essence of me is purely a matter of electrical currents in my brain. But even assuming that is so, wouldn't the stopping of all that activity, stop me? And can that "me" really be put down and then reawakened? Will my conscious/conscience just hibernate while my head is lounging around in liquid nitrogen?

And yet, even with all of the creepy science stuff, I do not believe that people should stop research into cryonics. Part of that is incased in Hood's quote. If we criminalize the head in the freezer, there will still be heads in the freezer. It's just those heads will be those of criminals. What a wonderful legacy to leave our progeny. Years down the road when they work out all of those kinks and start reanimating, they find themselves with mafiosos, mad scientists, corrupt politicians, and boring rich people.

Oh, and Walt Disney of course.