In Defense of the Study of Cryonics Essay -- Healthcare, Science

Ferraris, Corvettes, large estates, gold dusted ice creams, or even hundred dollar socks all have something in common: they are all luxurious desires. However is cryonics, the process of preserving one's body for the hopes of future medical treatments to save, a mere luxury? Can no one find a real need to utilize cryonics? Does cryonics have any intrinsic value to society as a whole? Many believe that cryonics is just an â€Å"indulgence [for] rich people† (Alcor). Cryonics, in fact, can do much more than fulfill one's self interest. Cryonics is the process in which anti-freeze like liquid is circulated through the body and then frozen in order to preserve a human body at low temperatures for an indefinite amount of time. The frozen body can then be brought back and worked on if medicine advances to the point of reviving a dead body. Cryonics, including the money and research gained through it, can help beyond the individual and all the way to the advancement of the field of medicine. The problem with cryonics, however, is not cryonics itself but the lack of knowledge of the benefits of it. Due to this lack of knowledge, many people develop negative views on cryonics which include the assumption that cryonics is primarily self-indulgent, as stated above. These negative views, which have been around since the very beginning, allow for the dismissal of cryonics as a luxury that can be defined simply as â€Å"the preservation of dead bodies† and, as a result, many are turned off by it and its principles (Alcor). If this problem persists, not only does the field of cryonics suffer, the medical field does to. By utilizing techniques found in cryonics, certain aspects of the medical field can advance at the same rate as cryonics. The solut... ...l, the public will gain knowledge that is often neglected when the opposition talks against cryonics: that of the benefits of cryonics. Additionally, negative views on cryonics will be amended through an increase of knowledge in cryonics and, ultimately, cryonics will gain more supporters. If a gain in supporters of cryonics occurs, more research and money can be put into advancing the techniques of cryonics. As a result of this, other disciplines of medicine, such as organ transplanting, can utilize techniques in cryonics and further develop their own methods to benefit society. Nothing should be judged without having all the information about it presented, cryonics is no exception. Make this education available, and much more comprehensive views will be gained. Don't you think it's time to stop focusing on the negativity and start learning about the benefits?