I’m not sure that religion is the main devil here, though. Most of my family isn’t religious, nonetheless none of them would ever sign up for cryonics. I focus my efforts on encouraging them to exercise and eat well. I can at least effect some change in that direction.
Most of my family isn’t religious, nonetheless none of them would ever sign up for cryonics.
Not particularly relevant, because the point about religion isn’t that all atheists sign up for cryonics. It’s that more atheists sign up for it, because delusional afterlife believers perceive no incentive to. I’d bet that a rise in atheism correlates with a rise in cryonics subscription.
I imagine so. What I deny is that religion is the main factor preventing the adoption of cryonics. My family isn’t proof of this but it’s certainly evidence.
If the ratio of atheists who sign up for cryonics as opposed to not is higher than for theists, and if that ratio remained constant as the entire world gave up religion… there still wouldn’t be that many people signed up for cryonics.
That seems at least plausible, but it doesn’t refute the harm done by religion (and of course discounts any indirect damage done to atheists’ thinking by widespread theism). To counter one anecdote with another: The fact is that most atheists don’t know how accessible cryonics is. By mentioning that fact alone (very truly alone, along the lines of “cryonics is actually pretty accessible, google it”), I’ve peaked the interest of at least two atheists I know.
So in terms of cryonics awareness, I suppose you could make the argument that it’s not so much religion itself hindering it, as it is lack of atheist (or rationalist) connectivity. But atheist connectivity is obviously inhibited by the dominance of theism.
Also, since a >1 atheist/theist sign-up ratio would at least point to an “easy” set of people that would sign up in the absence of religion, any increase in that ratio directly opposes the notion that religion isn’t preventing adoption. I fully expect this ratio to climb in the near future as full ignorance of cryonics burns itself out.
I’m not confident that religion is the primary factor preventing adoption when plain ignorance seems to be playing such a large role, but it certainly seems non-negligible, especially moving forward.
Theists don’t necessarily believe in an afterlife. People who believe in an afterlife (whether theists or not) don’t necessarily think it will be preferable to this life, either.
I guess you could make a sort of reverse Pascal’s Wager argument for it—if it turns out that there is no immortal soul after all then you’ve got a backup plan.
Sorry to hear about the loss.
I’m not sure that religion is the main devil here, though. Most of my family isn’t religious, nonetheless none of them would ever sign up for cryonics. I focus my efforts on encouraging them to exercise and eat well. I can at least effect some change in that direction.
Not particularly relevant, because the point about religion isn’t that all atheists sign up for cryonics. It’s that more atheists sign up for it, because delusional afterlife believers perceive no incentive to. I’d bet that a rise in atheism correlates with a rise in cryonics subscription.
I imagine so. What I deny is that religion is the main factor preventing the adoption of cryonics. My family isn’t proof of this but it’s certainly evidence.
If the ratio of atheists who sign up for cryonics as opposed to not is higher than for theists, and if that ratio remained constant as the entire world gave up religion… there still wouldn’t be that many people signed up for cryonics.
That seems at least plausible, but it doesn’t refute the harm done by religion (and of course discounts any indirect damage done to atheists’ thinking by widespread theism). To counter one anecdote with another: The fact is that most atheists don’t know how accessible cryonics is. By mentioning that fact alone (very truly alone, along the lines of “cryonics is actually pretty accessible, google it”), I’ve peaked the interest of at least two atheists I know.
So in terms of cryonics awareness, I suppose you could make the argument that it’s not so much religion itself hindering it, as it is lack of atheist (or rationalist) connectivity. But atheist connectivity is obviously inhibited by the dominance of theism.
Also, since a >1 atheist/theist sign-up ratio would at least point to an “easy” set of people that would sign up in the absence of religion, any increase in that ratio directly opposes the notion that religion isn’t preventing adoption. I fully expect this ratio to climb in the near future as full ignorance of cryonics burns itself out.
I’m not confident that religion is the primary factor preventing adoption when plain ignorance seems to be playing such a large role, but it certainly seems non-negligible, especially moving forward.
Has anyone ever heard of a theist signing up for cryonics? That would seem very odd.
Theists don’t necessarily believe in an afterlife. People who believe in an afterlife (whether theists or not) don’t necessarily think it will be preferable to this life, either.
I don’t see why they shouldn’t, given that most of them don’t refuse (other) medical care.
It’s been known to happen.
I guess you could make a sort of reverse Pascal’s Wager argument for it—if it turns out that there is no immortal soul after all then you’ve got a backup plan.