Terminal Illness - Pulling the Plug or Forcing the Fight: Where is that line?

[Genecks]

I would like to set forth the idea that many people whom have undergone euthanasia more than likely were physically capable of living out their lives to further extents given that their brains had not undergone massive neural decay, neural toxicity, Alzeheimer plagues, tangles, and loss of brain areas relating to involuntary actions, such as breathing.

 

Now consider that people are of old age or in a vegetative state, then I would say that "pulling the plug" is wrong.

 

Nonetheless, it would appear that modern science is often incapable of extending life in an ethical fashion (for what it considers ethical, and would hope an ignorant America has no advanced medical knowledge to consider/argue otherwise) and will suggest euthanasia rather than extending the lifespan of a person.

 

Consider the man who "dies" at 103. Quite an old-timer. Nonetheless, his heart stopped, and people have been artificially keeping him alive for a while. He hasn't undergone massive neural decay, but people say he is "dead." Is he dead? Well, probably not... But it's not like the medical world is going to keep him alive, because I suspect a decent portion would say that's extremely hubristic and not economically worthwhile. As such, he would undergo euthanasia, and the life support would be taken away. From there, he would undergo neural death, etc.. etc..

 

As said before "...I would say that "pulling the plug" is wrong."

But what are you going to do?

 

Unless that person put himself up for scientific research of the "dead," then that person is more than not likely going to be kept alive.

But consider the person allows himself to undergo various organogenesis treatments, bone restructuring, and more...

Maybe there is the chance that people could kickstart his heart.

 

Nonetheless, given that a person isn't going to be given that opportunity to have an extended life, it would appear to be somewhat a noble and generous thing to end the suffering. Perhaps my argument is too futurist.

Edited April 13, 2010 by Genecks