[extropy-chat] Thoughts on Schiavo

[Samantha Atkins]

On Mar 26, 2005, at 12:48 AM, Giu1i0 Pri5c0 wrote:

> My first reaction when I first heard of the Schiavo case was outrage
> at the Christian Right's insistence on still considering Terri as a
> thinking and living human being who should be kept on life support at
> all costs even if there is no chance that she may recover any mental
> functions.

Any? At all costs?   Last time i checked hospitals do not foot costs 
indefinitely.   Someone is paying.  Their funds are limited.


> I think a "person" is a thinking and feeling entity, or
> someone who may someday recover the status of thinking and feeling
> entity, and that biological samples which do not and cannot think and
> feel (embryos, cells, ...) are not persons. This is, after all, the
> basis of our support for abortion and stem cell research: no harm is
> done to persons. So I thought that the proper thing to do was
> switching life support off.

I understood that such things are supposed to be up to the person if 
they have filed certain documents and then up to the person with 
medical power of attorney.

>
> Then when I saw her pictures on television I realized that the fact
> that she moves her eyes can give a very strong impression that she is
> at least feeling something.

That is a pretty low level of functioning.  It does not require 
anything very complex in the way of some inner life.

>  Someone emotionally involved, like her
> parents, is not likely to believe any medical statement that she is
> does not, and never will, think and feel. So I ask myself what I would
> feel if I were in the place of Terri Schiavo's parents. Would I feel
> that society is murdering my daughter?

How could they be?  It is not up to society to support anyone's care 
really.

>  Perhaps I would. Why shouldn't
> Terri Schiavo's parents be allowed to keep the hope, or the delusion,
> that their daughter may wake up smiling?

They can believe whatever foolishness they wish.  Asking much less 
demanding that everyone else support their delusions is another thing 
entirely.

>  Is it because taxpayers are
> paying for life support?

Are they?  Why?  We are quite at the point of real socialized medicine 
yet.

> Would things change if they were paying for
> it themselves?

If they could ind and fund a doctor to go along with it and IF they had 
medical power of attorney then Yes, i would have no problems with them 
keeping this charade going.


>
> Doctors say that Terri Schiavo will never think or feel anything. But
> most doctors also say that today's cryonics patients will never be
> revived, and that life extension technology will never work.


irrelevant

>  It seems reasonable to think that those who
> can pay for cryonics and life extension should be allowed to do so,
> but that taxpayers' money should be spent wisely and focused where it
> can be effective. But how do you explain that to Terri Schiavo's
> parents? And how do you explain it to those who will want to try
> experimental deep life extension therapies without being able to
> afford it?

Life is not "fair" in a way that gives everyone whatever they want 
irrespective of costs
and reality.  I would hope most adults already understand this.

>
> All questions and no answers: these are difficult issues.
>

Only if you insist on none.

- s