Re: Interview with the Bioethicist

From: Sasha Chislenko (sasha1@netcom.com)
Date: Tue Feb 08 2000 - 17:23:50 MST


I would ask the questions John Clark asked, but in more extended form,
with specific cases:

- Why court, bacteria, criminals, accidents, Gods,
according to some beliefs, wild animals, aging process,
and just about anyone and anything else, can decide to
terminate a person's life, but the person can't?

- What if I decide that my purpose of life is accomplished,
and want to just quietly leave?

- What if the person's burden of guilts, pains, or displeasures
is unbearably high? Who has a right to tell people that they
should continue the existence that brings them extreme, unbearable
pain, and what can be the reason for it?

- Is it justifiable to give a poison pill to a person who is
about to be tortured to death by sadistic criminals?

- What if people are mad biologically immortal (I assume this
   bioethicist supports prevention of death from diseases - it
   would be illogical to give bacteria a right over a person's
   life that the person himself doesn't have), then does it mean
   that the person absolutely has to live forever?

- Are there any other things that can't be terminated, including
   personal possessions, or one's life is an exception?
   What is the basis for this exception?

- Does this refer to personality as a whole, or sub-personality,
   such as particular set of interests and concepts?
   Is one allowed to terminate a certain line of actions or thoughts?
   Or is it only biological existence that can't be terminated?
   In this case, can biological existence of chickens be terminated?
   What about carrots?

- What if my religion requires me to end my life in certain cases?
   Is it an invalid religion with invalid ethics?
   How can I tell which religion is valid?

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sasha Chislenko <http://www.lucifer.com/~sasha/home.html>



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