[MD] How far do you go to preserve individual life?

[plattholden at gmail.com]

Horse,
Who says "death panel" is propaganda? Who says it's "emotive nonsense?"
I don't recall that this has "been over in the past." Can you refresh my 
memory? Thanks.   

Platt


On 13 Sep 2010 at 15:50, Horse wrote:

>   Platt
> Would you please keep your 'Death Panel' propaganda away from the MD list.
> We've been over this in the past and there is no need to bring this sort 
> of nonsense into the discussion.
> If you have concerns about this then there should be no problem in 
> raising these concerns without the need to resort to this sort of 
> emotive nonsense.
> All that will happen is that there will be a shouting match about 'Death 
> Panels', nothing will be gained or resolved and I will have to step in 
> and halt the conversation (which I will do) after much time and energy 
> is wasted.
> 
> Horse
> 
> On 13/09/2010 15:35, plattholden at gmail.com wrote:
> > All:
> >
> > In a conversation reported in the Guardian.uk scientists David Attenborough and
> > Richard Dawkins were asked, "What is the most difficult ethical dilemma facing
> > science today:?
> >
> > "DA: How far do you go to preserve individual human life?
> >
> > RD: That's a good one, yes.
> >
> > DA: I mean, what are we to do with the NHS? How can you put a value in pounds,
> > shillings and pence on an individual life? There was a case with a bowel cancer
> > drug -- if you gave that drug, which costs several thousand pounds, it
> > continued life for six weeks on. How can you make that decision?"
> >
> > How would the MOQ make that decision? There's no direct answer that I can find
> > in Pirsig's writings. I presume that if the patient was of sound mind and, from
> > his past history, could potentially offer something of intellectual value
> > during the remaining six or so weeks of his life, he should receive the drug.
> > Otherwise, the social value of his life would rule which, as the Giant would
> > judge, isn't worth a pence. Biologically the poor soul would be best recycled.
> >
> > What's really horrendous about the question is that in the NHS and now
> > potentially in the U.S. such questions are all too real with life and death
> > decisions in the hands of a government committee, i.e., a death panel. I don't
> > know about you, but the thought of my government determining whether I live or
> > die makes me sick. It's as if Joe Stalin was resurrected.
> >
> > When you surrender such personal decisions to the government, not only is your
> > life threatened, but DQ, the creative force of evolution, dies, too. Perhaps,
> > the MOQ answer is just that -- take responsibility for your own life so DQ can
> > flourish.
> >
> > The interview is at:
> >
> > http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/11/science-david-attenborough-
> > richard-dawkins
> >
> > Regards,
> > Platt
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> 
> -- 
> 
> "Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
> - Frank Zappa
> 
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