Discussion about hot topics trending today

[Chaka-Z0]

But that's not really the point is it? The heart keeps you alive but is it consciousness? I don't think it is.

Some people live off mechanical hearts, head transplant is scientifically possible and one can be revived when flatlining.

[Gatefan1976]

I would say that tood is making a different point.

[Annoyed]

Thing is, there have been cases of people in comas for years and have miraculously recovered.
Barring massive physical damage, we don't know enough about how the brain works to *know* when it is irrecoverably dead.

[Gatefan1976]

[Gatefan1976]

Quick question. When a patient dies in a hospital, do Doctors wait for a brain scan to determine death or do they simply look for a lack of a heart beat? It is my understanding that brain death is only used when the body/patient is unresponsive beyond simply having a heart beat. It's not used to determine death most of the time, the lack of heart beat is used to determine death most of the time. If this is so, then the argument is flawed.

It's not flawed at all, it states there is no single determination of death, much like there is no single determination of life.
Simple enough?

[Gatefan1976]

Thing is, there have been cases of people in comas for years and have miraculously recovered.
Barring massive physical damage, we don't know enough about how the brain works to *know* when it is irrecoverably dead.

Yes, we actually do, it's why the distinction exists at all, it's called consciousness.

[Annoyed]

Yes, we actually do, it's why the distinction exists at all, it's called consciousness.

Then explain how people who have been comatose for years awaken.

[SoulReaver]

Then explain how people who have been comatose for years awaken.

maybe they were still conscious but don't remember it
just like we don't remember (most) dreams

[Chaka-Z0]

maybe they were still conscious but don't remember it
just like we don't remember (most) dreams

I believe that, there's some testimonies of comatose patient remembering doctors hovering over them.

[Annoyed]

maybe they were still conscious but don't remember it
just like we don't remember (most) dreams

Dream state of sleep is easily recognized, it's known as R.E.M. sleep. As far as I understand it, a certain amount is needed to maintain good mental health.

It's actually quite easy to remember your dreams. Just be woken up often during sleep. I've found that I remember many dreams for a short time anyway when first woken up.

[aretood2]

I would say that tood is making a different point.

My point is that it was a bad argument all around on both sides. Life isn't determined, it is assumed. Death is what is determined. A doctor needs not test me to know that I am alive, it's a case of "I'll know it when I see it". Death is determined by taking readings such as brain waves or heart beats. Until we can determine life, it's guess work. Personally I'd edge on the side of caution but that's just me.

[Chaka-Z0]

It's one of these moral dilemmas that doesn't really have a happy ending no matter how you look at it.

In my opinon, our opinions should weight very little in this matter. Ultimately it should be the choice of the actual woman carrying the child, not us men or women discussing what a woman should do with her body.

(Given certain restrictions of course)

[Annoyed]

You can't always predict how a SCOTUS judge will vote, can you?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/techn...store-proceed/

Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh joined the liberal justices in the majority.

[jelgate]

It's one of these moral dilemmas that doesn't really have a happy ending no matter how you look at it.

In my opinon, our opinions should weight very little in this matter. Ultimately it should be the choice of the actual woman carrying the child, not us men or women discussing what a woman should do with her body.

(Given certain restrictions of course)

I tend to reject both pro life and probably choice. I have a hard time agreeing that the mother has all the say what happens to a child.

[Chaka-Z0]

I tend to reject both pro life and probably choice. I have a hard time agreeing that the mother has all the say what happens to a child.

The part nobody agrees on is when is when the fetus becomes a ''child''. I'm glad I do not have to make that determination, there are good arguments on both sides I think. Tood does have a point that we can't really tell for sure, I mean nobody's inside the baby's head to know he's conscious or not.

That being said, the Pro-Lifers wants to take away the very choice of the woman involved. That's not acceptable to me, and we all know that women will still abort in crude manners even if it's banned and risk getting killed in the process, as seen many decades ago.