Discussion Modern Medicine: Torture, Benevolence, or Both?

[itsamadworld]

Attached below is a article and video which goes over the well-known case of Dax Cowart, who was severely burned, and forced to undergo medical treatments.

Though this case happened in 1973, imagine the numerous unknown cases of forced/coerced treatments that happen every day to people since then, as evidenced in nursing homes/ Long-term Care Facilities.

Some argue that this long-life/low quality mentality of modern medicine creates more psychological distress in the dying process, prolongs death, and increases suffering in humans. In addition, the law does not seem to stop forced treatments from happening (as evidenced with Dax, LTC facilities, and the like). Others (like Dax's mother, and certain med. personnel) believe in quantity of years /that all human-life is precious, and should be saved regardless. Then there are those somewhere in between, or those that never faced these types of situations yet.

I'm pro-choice, but i won't comment further on this discussion thread, other than a like symbol acknowledging i read any potential comments. Because i would like to objectively hear other people's points of views, convos, stories, thoughts, comments, concerns, etc.... Thank you for reading, peace, and Best wishes.

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Reading Article:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1983/06/26/a-happy-life-afterward-doesnt-make-up-for-torture/ab680b30-237b-4b7a-b6da-1f7ab3da9208/

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Video:



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PS. There are other videos on youtube if you're interested. They will show Dax's life story, or him undergoing burn treatments- but I thought those might be too graphic to post, and i am unfamiliar with the trigger warning thing.

 

[agentgeez]

Personally, I think the idea that saving someone's life is, above all else, 'doing the right thing', is failing to see the bigger picture in terms of why life is valuable in the first place. If someone is experiencing immeasurable pain and wants to die, then I don't see how keeping them alive is virtuous.

I also believe the approach to consent here, namely that someone's opinion should be ignored in pursuit of the 'right thing', is contradictory to most opinions on consent in similar situations. Firstly, the decision should be made by the person who has to experience the consequences. The argument that consent should be ignored because they might not be in their right mind is also dismissive of that person's opinion. As I said earlier, I think preventing suffering should come before saving a life. In similar situations where a choice has the potential for immense suffering, consent is taken very seriously. Take sex, for example; if someone said no, that should be it, correct? You wouldn't continue anyway because "in general, sex is fun" (as "in general, living is good"), you'd accept their decision in the moment, without justifying it with the notion that they may like it afterwards. The risk of suffering by forcing it outweighs the chance that they might change their mind once you've decided for them. Furthermore, when someone is in a position where they're in an altered state of mind, such as being drunk, the decision chosen by those around them is usually the one more likely to please them when they return to a normal state of mind. If someone is drunk and asks for sex, usually people assume that they will regret it once sober, and thus reject their advances. The sober state of mind is prioritised because it has the more lasting effects of the consequences from the drunk decision. Now, if this man was insane when he asked to die, I would argue that the most pleasing decision for that man would be to avert the suffering that he would experience and let him die. The suffering is simply too large to argue that it might pay off, it should be avoided altogether.