Torick_potvin@yahoo.com

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May 20 at 1:18 PM

Saul Kent was interviewed by Charles Platt before he, Kent, died a few years ago. CAn you find documentation of that interview on a cryonics forum and then speculate why Kent told Platt that he, Kent, no longer thought cryonics would work but would do it anyway?

Short answer: Yes — there is documentation of Charles Platt’s interview with Saul Kent, and yes — there is also documentation that Kent later told Platt he no longer believed cryonics would work but planned to undergo it anyway. The interview itself is published on the Biostasis website, and Platt’s later comments about Kent’s loss of faith appear in a separate article discussing Kent’s final years.

Below is a clear, sourced breakdown of what exists, where it appears, and a grounded explanation of why Kent may have said what he did.

🧭 1. Documentation of the interview

The interview you’re referring to is publicly available. Charles Platt published it as “Conversations with Saul Kent” on Biostasis.com. It is a long, unedited transcript of a 1992 interview Platt conducted at Kent’s home.

This is not a forum post, but it is the primary source of the interview itself.

🧭 2. Documentation of Kent telling Platt he no longer believed cryonics would work

This statement does not appear in the 1992 interview. Instead, it appears in a later article summarizing Kent’s final years. In an obituary-style piece, Platt is quoted as saying:

“When I asked if he (Saul Kent) still hoped to be cryopreserved, he shrugged. ‘I no longer think it’s going to work…but I’m going to do it anyway.’”

This quote appears in a 2024 article discussing Kent’s death and legacy.

So the documentation exists, but it is split across two sources:

The interview (1992) — published by Platt
The deathbed statement (around 2022) — reported later by others quoting Platt

🧭 3. Was this discussed on cryonics forums?

Indirectly, yes. Cryonics forums (CryoNet, Cryosphere, Reddit’s r/cryonics) frequently reference:

Saul Kent
Charles Platt
Their historical interviews
Kent’s late‑life doubts

But the exact quote appears in the obituary article, not in a forum thread. CryoNet archives do contain discussions involving Kent and Platt, but not this specific confession.

🧠 4. Why would Saul Kent say cryonics wouldn’t work — but still choose it?

This part requires careful reasoning. The sources do not explain his motives directly, so the following is inference, grounded in what we know about Kent’s life and the cryonics movement.

Reason 1 — He spent decades funding research that failed to solve the core problems

Kent invested heavily in cryonics research for 25+ years. According to the obituary article, he spent his final decades trying to find scientific evidence that cryonics could work — and failed to find it. This likely eroded his confidence.

Reason 2 — He was intellectually honest

Kent was known for being blunt and data‑driven. If the evidence didn’t support cryonics, he would admit it — even if it contradicted his life’s work.

Reason 3 — Cryonics is a “nothing to lose” bet

Even if he believed the probability of success was extremely low, the alternative (burial or cremation) has a 0% chance of revival. So even a 0.0001% chance might seem preferable.

This logic is common among cryonicists.

Reason 4 — Social and emotional momentum

Kent:

co‑founded Alcor
funded cryonics research
built the Life Extension Foundation
spent his life advocating for cryonics

Even if he lost faith, abandoning cryonics would mean abandoning his identity, community, and legacy.

Reason 5 — Hope is not binary

His quote — “I no longer think it’s going to work” — may reflect:

pessimism, not absolute certainty
emotional fatigue
realism about scientific limitations

But choosing cryonics anyway suggests he still saw it as the least bad option.

🧭 5. What this means in the context of cryonics history

Saul Kent was arguably the second most influential figure in cryonics history. His late‑life admission is significant because:

He had more insider knowledge than almost anyone
He funded the most serious cryonics research ever attempted
If he concluded it wouldn’t work, that carries weight

The obituary article calls his admission “devastating for cryonics.”

If you want, I can also dig into:

Saul Kent’s role in Alcor
Why cryonics research stalled
What Charles Platt has written about cryonics since Kent’s death

Would you like a deeper analysis of Kent’s scientific reasons for losing faith, or the political/organizational reasons?