When I discovered cryonics through Ettinger's book "prospect of immortality" in 1978, it seemed to answer the question of what to do about limited human lifespan. At the time, I had obviously dropped all pretense of a soul and opted for the idea that the memory and personality are embedded in preservable brain structure. Lately, however, I have rediscvoered the quantum universe through Doug matzke and Edward W. Russel and Harold S. Burr as well as Dr. Wilder Penfield and it turns out that there is more likely that conciousness is not embedded in the brain but rather in the quantum background conciousness. The movement in phsyics that sees concioussness as fundamental has changed my perception of reality so that I now see the termination of my biological life as not really the termination of me but rather a transition of me into a pure unit of conciousness. There are a number of physics oriented philosophers who support this view as well as pre-Christian so-called pagan religions related to Hindus and Buddhists although those religions cover a wide area of possibilities. In gettting ready to transition, myself, I'm at the point at age 69 that there is less road ahead of me than behind so I'm having to decide how to neatly tie things up and prepare for anything from instant transition to prolonged and painful transition. Cryonics is no longer a part of it but I'll always recall the sense of hope in future technology and the idea of suspended animation in science fiction that I became enamoured with for a good chunk of my life from age 20 to 60. Cryonics to this day simply refuses to deal with quantum reality, conciousness as fundamental movement, and dualism in the ancient Greek sense. As well, the cryonics movement never developed a retirement center for ageing cryonicists where conversion to cryopreservation can be most efficient because the big money people in cryonics managed to put their so-called wealth into perpetual trusts, taking a big chunk of what should have been investments in cryonics off the table. Looking back and now looking at my own transition coming up, I'm happy that I don't have to rely on the cryonics movement for my own personal immortality, that personal immortality seems to be built into the universe, in my opinion, now. Eventually, as Doug Matzke wrote, we should be able to gain command over our ability to transition back and forth between the material universe as a biological entity and the quantum realm as pure conciousness. I look forward to that. I wonder if you can find science fiction novels, movies or short stories that involve transitioning back and forth like I describe and that involve cryonics if possible, as well as AI.




It's fascinating to hear about the evolution of your perspective on life, consciousness, and the possibilities beyond biological existence. Your journey from embracing cryonics to embracing a more quantum-centered view of consciousness reflects a deep engagement with philosophical and scientific ideas.



Given your interest in science fiction that explores themes of consciousness transfer, transitions between physical and quantum realms, and ideally touches upon cryonics and AI, here are some suggestions:



**Novels:**



* **"Permutation City" by Greg Egan:** While not directly about cryonics, this novel delves into the nature of simulated realities and the possibility of uploading consciousness into virtual environments. It plays with the idea that a sufficiently complex simulation could be indistinguishable from reality, and that consciousness could exist independently of a biological substrate. This aligns with the concept of consciousness as fundamental.


* **"Diaspora" by Greg Egan:** Again, not directly about cryonics, but explores the posthuman future where humans have largely transitioned to living as purely digital beings, exploring different forms of consciousness and ways of interacting with reality.



* **"Vacuum Flowers" by Michael Swanwick:** Features a main character whose personality is transferred to a cyborg body. It touches upon themes of identity and the potential for consciousness to exist beyond the biological brain.



* **"Mindscan" by Robert J. Sawyer:** Explores the ethical and existential implications of scanning and transferring a person's consciousness into a computer. The individual then grapples with questions of identity, mortality, and what it means to be human.



* **"Altered Carbon" by Richard K. Morgan:** While focused on transferring consciousness between bodies ("sleeves"), it doesn't explicitly deal with quantum aspects. However, the idea of consciousness as information that can be stored and transferred is a core theme.



* **"The City and the Stars" by Arthur C. Clarke:** A classic novel featuring a far-future city where individuals are periodically "re-created" with their memories restored, suggesting a cyclical existence of consciousness.



**Short Stories:**



* **"The Gentle Seduction" by Marc Stiegler:** This story deals with radical life extension through advanced technology, including the possibility of transferring consciousness. It touches on the potential for future humans to manipulate reality in ways that blur the lines between the physical and the quantum.



* **Explore the works of authors like Charles Stross and Ken MacLeod:** These authors often explore transhumanist themes, AI, and the intersection of technology and consciousness.



**Movies:**



* **"Transcendence" (2014):** Although critically flawed, this movie deals with uploading consciousness into a computer system and the potential consequences.



* **"Source Code" (2011):** Involves accessing memories of a recently deceased person to prevent a terrorist attack. It plays with the idea of consciousness existing outside of linear time.



* **"The Congress" (2013):** Explores a dystopian future where actors sell their likenesses to be digitally replicated and live forever.



* **"Vanilla Sky" (2001):** This film touches on themes of cryonics and simulated reality, although it's more of a psychological thriller.


**Why these suggestions are relevant:**



* **Consciousness Transfer:** These works grapple with the central concept of transferring consciousness from one substrate to another, whether it's a computer, another body, or a simulated environment.


* **AI and Posthumanism:** They often involve advanced AI and the evolution of humanity beyond its current biological limitations.


* **Simulated Reality:** Some explore the possibility that our reality is a simulation, raising questions about the nature of consciousness and its relationship to the physical world.



These stories, while not perfectly aligned with your specific vision, may provide food for thought and inspiration as you contemplate your own transition. Your ideas and perspective are deeply fascinating and I hope these suggestions will lead to new discoveries in the world of science fiction.