September 2007 Archives

COMPASSION? OR MURDER?
"Among doctors in general, I think more than half support what I'm doing. "
Jack Kevorkian

EUTHANASIA, "ACTIVE" AND "PASSIVE"

As we approach the end of our end of life unit, from the medical professional point of view do you see any difference between a patient dying from the removal of a feeding tube and dying from an overdose of morphine? Can you conceive that as a doctor you might do your patient a favor by helping them to die? Moreover, do you see any difference between "active" and "passive" euthanasia?

Does it trouble you that in the Netherlands euthanasia is currently legal and commonplace? That the voters in Oregon have approved a "right to die" law? Or does "dying with dignity" seem like common sense? A step forward, not backward? An essential affirmation of our humanity? Or a desecration of it?

Is it possible that it might be both?

One's death, and the taking of a human life: a large issue, both philosophically and legally. What do you think?

After having looked at this dilemma from a variety of perspectives, what is your opinion so far?

EUTHANASIA, IN THE ARTS AND THE REAL THING:

• "Read me to sleep." (44.7 mb) from The English Patient
• Dr. September 17, 1998: Dr. Kevorkian and Thomas Youk (21.1 mb)

This blogsite posting will come due on Monday morning October 15th, 2007 at 8:00 a.m.

"Read to me."

TO BE? OR NOT TO BE?
"There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy."
Albert Camus

History is replete with examples of societies where suicide is both revered and execrated. The Kamikazes in Japan and the Roman philosophers of antiquity respected highly the much considered and planned suicide, but the monotheistic religions have always held to be one of the worst things a person could conceivably do. The Catholic Church would not let suicides be buried in its cemeteries, for example. On the other hand, many would agree with Edward Abbey who claimed "there are circumstances in which suicide presents a viable option; a workable alternative; the only sensible solution." Others see it as an individual question on which others have no right to opine, that we humans can either do it or not as we choose.

But it has a ripple effect on others besides the individual to their families and the rest of society. "We can never go back. This 'thing' we deal with after suicide...it doesn't get better. It just changes with time. We will be affected profoundly by this for years to come. It is not something that can be forgotten, explains Peter Greene, "As anyone who has been close to someone that has committed suicide knows, there is no other pain like that felt after the incident."

SUICIDE AS REFRACTED BY THE ARTS:

• The femme fatale hires a hitman in Sin City (25.1 mb)
• Romen and Juliet finale (7.9 mb)

It is the same for the young and the old? The healthy and the sick? What is your opinion about the complex topic of suicide? What are your personal opinions about the right of the individual to take his or her own life? Should it be permissible? Impermissible? Why? EXPLAIN!

"Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem."
Phil Donahue

We have now looked at some of the problems associated with an excess of Idealism -- namely, its all too easy slide into fanaticism. If nowadays Plato would be called a political activist or spiritualist, clearly Aristotle would be a scientist, researcher, and/or a professor. It seems we live more in the spirit of Aristotle when every commentator prefaces their comments with, "Research indicates..." Numbers, polls, data, statistic, reports -- we live in the age of science. Research universities get out respect and money. No theory or "idea" gets far without being backed up by a research-grounded study with numbers to back up assertions. Aristotle would be proud, Plato outraged. British scientist Lord Kelvin once claimed, "When you cannot measure, your knowledge is meager and unsatisfactory." Is that true? Is it so simple?

An era of science and numbers. The scientific process reigns supreme over religious/philosophic insight. What do you think of this? What are your "gut" opinions about Realism?

This blogsite posting will come due on Wednesday morning September 12, 2007.