Think it won't happen? It already has, in=20
medical labs. Transplanted animal heads have
lived for days, with sleep cycles independent=20
of the host animal. And perfused isolated
brains have been kept alive =93almost=20
indefinitely=94 by coupling their blood supply tubes to
living support animals. Don't believe it? Go=20
to any medical library and look up Nature
202: 339, Surgery 70: 135, and=20
Resuscitation12: 253 for starters. This isn't tabloid
trash; this is actual medical research,=20
described by an engineer/patent attorney (graduate of
Harvard Law School) who specializes in=20
medical technology.=20
How long could a severed head remain=20
conscious? Would it feel pain, or be numb below
the neck? Why would drug researchers want to=20
do it, to lab animals? And what kinds of
people might want this operation, if they=20
were dying and had no other hope of survival,
and if they could think and talk and operate=20
computers and machinery, as nothing but a
head on top of a blood-processing cabinet?=20
=93Definitive, fascinating, brilliantly=20
developed... scholarly dimension and insight...
the time will come sooner than most people=20
think.=94 - Prof. Michael Schon=20
=93Exceptionally interesting, carefully=20
articulated... massively researched,
well-informed...=94=20
- Law Books in Review=20
=93Fleming is correct - if technology can be developed, it generally will=
=20
be... it's useful to bring this into the open.=94 -
Chicago Sun-Times=20
=93Good ideas here...=94 - British Medical Journal