What "unnatural" assertion?
What is YOUR answer? We'll be glad to comment on it.
When you look at it from a practical standpoint your "unnatural" assertion makes sense. Arriving at this decision, however, involves a clash of morals. Do you feel the best way to solve this would be from a legal perspective? For instance, if the family can no longer afford to keep the individual on life support, how long should the individual be allowed to continue receiving assistance?
8 answers
State your stance on the Terri Schiavo case, and identify the moral value judgment that influenced you to choose your stance.
An example of a stance is, “Terri Schiavo should have been allowed to live, despite her persistent vegetative state.” An example of a moral value judgment is, “No person’s death should be decided by another—people should die naturally
An example of a stance is, “Terri Schiavo should have been allowed to live, despite her persistent vegetative state.” An example of a moral value judgment is, “No person’s death should be decided by another—people should die naturally
My stance on the Terri Schiavo case is that it was tragic -- for the young woman, her husband, her parents, as well as for all of the rest of the people who got involved.
You must make your own decision about whether people who are in a vegetative state or suffer a fatal and painful disease should be kept alive unnaturally.
My moral judgment is that all death should be met with dignity, if at all possible.
My husband died of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Shortly after his diagnosis, he told me that he did not want a feeding tube. The disease progressed rapidly and soon he was totally paralyzed, only able to blink his eyes and was in a hospice residence. His mind was still intact, but he used a breathing machine and couldn't eat. He made the choice to go off the breathing machine, with the support of his friends, family, nursing staff and doctor. He died the next day, a peaceful and dignified death. If he hadn't been able to make that decision, I knew him and his desires for life well enough that I would have had to make the same decision.
You must make your own decision about whether people who are in a vegetative state or suffer a fatal and painful disease should be kept alive unnaturally.
My moral judgment is that all death should be met with dignity, if at all possible.
My husband died of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Shortly after his diagnosis, he told me that he did not want a feeding tube. The disease progressed rapidly and soon he was totally paralyzed, only able to blink his eyes and was in a hospice residence. His mind was still intact, but he used a breathing machine and couldn't eat. He made the choice to go off the breathing machine, with the support of his friends, family, nursing staff and doctor. He died the next day, a peaceful and dignified death. If he hadn't been able to make that decision, I knew him and his desires for life well enough that I would have had to make the same decision.
I agree with MsSue's moral judgement statement. I had to take my wife off of life support 13 months ago, it is a wrenching decision that no one but the family can make.
but she was not on life support. she could breath on her own. Do you feel that was the same thing? life support is where she depended totally on machines to live she only had a breathing tube.
Excuse me I meant she only had a feeding tube.
Certainly, a feeding tube is life support. Food and water are necessary for life.
Read this site to find information about her diagnosis, persistent vegetative state.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/330/21/1499
Read this site to find information about her diagnosis, persistent vegetative state.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/330/21/1499
Some questions for you to think about as you ponder moral viewpoint.
What is life?
How do you want to live your life?
How do you want to die?
Until 50 years or so ago, very little could be done to keep a person in a persistent vegetative state alive. Are modern life support systems superior to allowing people to die natural deaths?
What is life?
How do you want to live your life?
How do you want to die?
Until 50 years or so ago, very little could be done to keep a person in a persistent vegetative state alive. Are modern life support systems superior to allowing people to die natural deaths?