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?

Well I’ve had a bit of a set back with knitting. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis which has slowed me down but now I am starting to get back in the thick of things so I hope to post more soon!

New Findings

“Religion is a vital force in the private and public lives of most Americans and helps mold the country’s social and political attitudes, says the latest report from the US Religious Landscape Survey.”

Click the link to learn more but is this news?  As someone who attends services regularly I have seen many  others arounds me come to believe everything is relative.  Even ordained clergy (younger ones anyway) have told me that yes this is THE way but there are other ways and God is all loving so no one path can be the right path.

Human Pig Hybrid

A licence to create human-pig embryos to study heart disease has been issued by the fertility watchdog.

This marks the third animal-human hybrid embryo licence to be issued by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the first since the Commons voted in favour of this controversial research last month.

Teaching of ethics is critical as science advances at pace.

Public engagement with science is vital but its possible misuse means society must stay in control, argues Prof Lord Robert Winston, Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College, London.

From: HERE