Ethics of Prolonging life
Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: Scholarly Pursuits
Forum Name: Social Sciences
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URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31686
Printed Date: 20-Apr-2024 at 02:37
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Topic: Ethics of Prolonging life
Posted By: okamido
Subject: Ethics of Prolonging life
Date Posted: 05-May-2012 at 20:33
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If a person is on life support, at what point do we make the decision to pull
the plug? Does cost have a relevance on the matter, especially if the individuals family cannot afford the care and the responsibilty falls to the state (tax payers)? Are we, as a people, ethically bound in one way or another on this issue, and how should we respond to these cases? |
Replies:
Posted By: red clay
Date Posted: 06-May-2012 at 09:28
Okamido, do you think of cheerful stuff like this all the time? Or just on Saturday nite.  
Having had to assist my wife and her family in making that decision, her brother having had a massive cerebral hemorrhage at 52, I can tell you it's no easy matter regardless of the obvious hopelessness. There's no outward signs of damage, and the machines have kept the person oxygenated and they appear healthy, there just isn't any brain wave activity at all. From my experience, it's something that shouldn't be left up to one person. If it's a family decision then your not leaving anyone person with the feeling of being wholly responsible for the decision. But it is private, personal, and something that only the family should be involved in.
If your using "we" as a ref. to society as a whole, we have no right to interfere. The insanity that overtook the case in Florida a few years back was an excellent example, even the Governor of the state became involved. It rapidly became a circus, and an opportunity for any nutcase to grind his or her agenda.
I guess it comes down to the right to die with dignity, unfortunately, something that isn't covered in the constitution.
------------- "Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces". Unknown. |
Posted By: Sidney
Date Posted: 06-May-2012 at 10:40
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Prolonging of life - yes, but I think it depends on the definition of 'life'. Is mere survival/existence the same as 'life'?
Regarding whether the state should take over the cost of prolonging life - what about processes or drugs that cure illnesses or make them bearable, but would cause death if not treated? Should the poverty of the beneficaries be a reason for not providing? IMO no. I think the same applies to life support systems. Red clay, I'm sad to hear of your wife's family's dilemma and tragedy.I can't add any more to your comments, only give you my sympathies. |
Posted By: Centrix Vigilis
Date Posted: 06-May-2012 at 16:36
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The extension or termination of life is determinate upon the indvidual and collective definition to include that of the individual no longer able to communicate it but who has done so in the past. And the ongoing quality that can be enjoyed or not, as determined by a reasonable individual who has done that or observed another doing it. In 2003 I made that decison. In 2008 I made that decision. In 2009 I made that decision. It sucks and not necessarily fair...but it is what you do when it needs to be done. And that's all I'm gonna say about this topic.
------------- "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" S. T. Friedman Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true' |
Posted By: Don Quixote
Date Posted: 06-May-2012 at 17:01
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Life is life when one can live it more or less to the full, otherwise is nothing or value. I hope I don't have to make this decision at some point in my life, but if I have to, I rather terminate. If something happens to me somewhere along my life I don't want to be turned into a vegetable, and hope whoever decides that don't do it to me, otherwise he/she will have a very angry ghost to deal with  when I finally die.
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Posted By: medenaywe
Date Posted: 06-May-2012 at 23:42
All religions approve God's involvement in this issue also condemn Man's role as God! It is a God's will notDoctor's. |
Posted By: okamido
Date Posted: 07-May-2012 at 00:56
Nah, I just wrote an ethics paper for my wife's friend on this topic (that's right, I helped someone cheat in ethics, don't judge me  ), and I just get curious what other think about these type of topics.Now don't make me break out my eugenics topics.  ------------- |