Ethical Thought

The definition of brain death is becoming more controversial in the United States and around the world.  The primary struggle is deciding when is someone truely dead.  Brain death in general means that the brain has stopped functioning in all aspects except the primary function of keeping the body alive.  This is where things get really tricky.

The body is alive so is the person alive?  Many believers would say that the soul of the person is no longer there and that the remaining body is just a husk that once held the soul (Many christians including the vatican endorsed this view).  This was convieniant because then the organs in the remaining body can be used to help the many others waiting for organ transplants.  

A quick aside here: in terms of defining brain death and discussing the possibility of organ transplants in the U.S. is completely removed from talking to the actual organ transplant team and “procurers” this is to help prevent the diagnosis of brain death to facilitate organ transplant instead of focusing on the needs of the patient.  THis is a standard of practice I applaud.

Now we have two problems how do we now define brain death and as important how do we diagnose brain death?  How can we know accurately what the actual condition the patient is in with out waiting for years?

A recent article out of official catholicdom raises questions.  However the vatican still endorses the 1968 Harvard report on defining brain death.

I have 3- 20 regular readers; but I have posted little of late.  I hope to get back to posting again soon.  

Some yarn and knitting

Some ethicical musings

Some commentaties on Libraies and Research that catches my attention

Maybe on gaming a bit (MMORPGs like eq2 or warhammer)

What do you want to hear about?