Cryonics suspension - debating life finitude, extending time capital and cancelling death
Journal Title: Journal of Comparative Research in Anthropology and Sociology - Year 2016, Vol 7, Issue 2
Abstract
The study discusses the anti-death movement inside the life extension paradigm and its social implications in terms of enhanced permeability of life-death boundaries, by reconciling mysticism, theology, technology and scientific innovation. It analyses current debates, the transmission of polemic information over extreme life extension by cryogenic suspension through vernacular knowledge. Ethical, scientific, financial and spiritual controversies come into consideration, as pro and counter-arguments emerge from ongoing debates investigated by netnography of themed blogs and forums. Digital platforms facilitate in-depth access to beliefs and attitudes expressed in relationship to continuity of stream of consciousness across the projected post-self project. The study calls for the questioning of agency and performativity in the context of transcending time dynamics and achieving biological and chronological time suspension. Solutions for extending longevity are explored in terms of critical reflection as to providers’ market, financial impact (e.g. creation of new niche products such as afterlife insurance to cover expenses of cryogenic suspension or fundraising for cryo-preserving young persons who died tragically) and relocating the burden of proof in arguing whether human cryonics is potentially viable in the future. It brings a new perspective on the traceability and sustainability of time capital (Preda, 2013), while discussing the impact of the belief that death is ultimately curable and avoidable, by future medical progress and overall scientific and technological advancement.
Authors and Affiliations
Oana Mara Stan
Paul Dragoș Aligica and Peter J. Boettke (2009). Challenging Institutional Analysis and Development. The Bloomington School. London and New-York: Routledge
The recent passing of distinguished professors Elinor and Vincent Ostrom has bereaved the academic community of the guidance of two prominent scholars. Their intellectual generosity was at the heart of a novel way of d...
Ethnography put to good use: researching the virtually human Boellstorff, Tom. (2008) Coming of Age in Second Life. An Anthropologist Explores Second Life. Princeton University Press
Talk and debate about the Internet and virtual communities seem to be ubiquitous. If not a reflection of trends and fashions in social inquiry, comprising an “online dimension” in research designs equates with keeping...
When the mosque goes Beethoven: Expressing religious belongings through music
The present article will provide insight on music as a vector of religious belonging: a female choir at a mosque in the Lake Geneva Metropolitan Region has reinterpreted Beethoven’s Ode to Joy with new text about the g...
Collaborative learning through art games Reflecting on corporate life with ‘Every Day the Same Dream’
A consistent thread of literature has been dedicated to video games as a learning medium. Recently, attention has been increasingly given to games as opportunities for philosophical or ideological reflection on life. I...
Serious games - How do they try to make players think about immigration issues?
Immigration has become a popular topic for digital games, most of them wanting players to empathize with (illegal) immigrants. There are different game elements that can be used to embody empathy and having a look at d...