HW#52: Third Third of the COTD Book

Precis:
Though a cut-off head cannot speak without lungs, the personality might exist within the brain. Perhaps head transplants to bodies may work, but it's unlikely it will happen. In many parts of the world, cannibalism did exist before. Parts of the human body were used as medicine and cures. Familes of the dead should not do things that will make them uncomfortable-the final decision should be made from the living.

Favorite Quotes:
"But it could be done. And if the man seemed more or less the same individual he was before you cut his head, perhaps a little less calm, then you would know that indeed the self is there in the brain." (199)

"The humanitarian benefits of its donation outweigh the emotional discomfor surrounding its removal-for most of us, anyway. Body transplants are another story. Will people or their families ever give an entire, intact body away to improve the health of a stranger?" (217)

"Bile didn't cure deafness per se, but if your hearing problem was caused by a buildup of wax, the acidy substance probably worked to dissolve it. Human toenail isn't a true emetic, but one can imagine that an oral dose might encourage vomiting..." (227)

"People who make elaborate requests concerning dispostiton of their bodies are probably people who have trouble with the concept of not exsting." (290)

"I've had kids object to their dad's wishes [to donate]," says Ronn Wade..."I tell them, 'Do what's best for you. You're the one who has to live with it."' (291)

Analysis:

Regardless of if human cadavers can actually be beneficial to our health, I still see cannibalism as an ethically wrong. I will always find cannibalism disgusting, though the chapter made me more likely to not critisize those who think its okay to eat human cadavers. I found the chapter about full body transplants interesting. I don't think head/body transplants will happen any time soon. I would have agreed with the idea when, "the operation is so exspensive and would only benefit a small number of patients." (215) I feel uncomfortable with the idea though I don't want to be-isn't it the same idea as an organ donation surgery? Towards the end of the book, the topic about deciding over our dead bodies was brought up. I have to admit-I might be one of those people who dosn't like the idea of not existing. But, I wouldn't make my will too elaborate. My decision for now is the same as the author's: let my family or the people who have to live my death make decisions if what I want makes them uncomfortable--as long as I become a organ donor if I become brain dead. This idea connects back to the illness and dying unit- why are we afraid of death? We don't know what will happen when we die and we're afraid of becoming non-existent.