A Compassionate Choice
(Re:
"Ashley X: What Should Parents Do?" HNN Jan. 17, 2007)
From the point of view of a god designing us with the purpose of us growing older, I can understand why this procedure would seem immoral. You might consider it a challenge to the will of God. On first thought, this is the only reason I can give for a believer to consider it immoral.
I consider ethics from two perspectives: (1) Will it increase the pain or the happiness of the person in question? (2) Will it increase the pain or happiness, or otherwise cause future problems to society as a whole? It seems the answer to the first question, at least in the case of Ashley, is that it will decrease her pain.
It is possible that some could abuse this treatment in the future. But I think each case must be evaluated separately. Just because someone might choose to abuse the treatment does not make this particular case immoral.
I side with the parents and the doctors on this one. I think it was a moral and compassionate choice.
--Noell Hyman, Mesa, AZ
Agnostic Mom
Stop Second Guessing
(Re:
"Ashley X: What Should Parents Do?" HNN Jan. 17, 2007)
In response to your request for comments, it is my opinion that everyone will have various opinions about what they would like to think they would do (or expect someone else to do) in a given situation. Those expectations are usually unrealistic and change substantially once they're actually confronted with an ethically difficult decision.
What stands out most to me about this story is that the young girl's parents did, indeed, obtain the input of the hospital's medical ethics committee and did follow their recommendations. They did the right thing, according to those they consulted, even if others would not choose that course for themselves or their loved ones (shades of Terri Schiavo revisited).
It really is time to stop second-guessing the parents and the ethics committee and just be thankful that the roll of the cosmic dice made this issue of only academic interest for you.
--Rael Nidess, M.D., Marshall, TX
Impeach for Peace – Marshall
A Candidate for the Nonreligious
(Re:
"Friendly Atheist: Is Obama too Pious for the Nonreligious?" HNN Jan. 17, 2007)
There is a candidate with a 100 percent voting record on the
Secular Coalition for America's scorecard. Despite being an observant Roman Catholic and drawing a huge new-age, spirituality-oriented following, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich understands (and is able to articulate) state-church separation.
During the 2004 campaign, when I was accompanying Kucinich to our local Pacifica Radio station, he asked if I knew the route we were taking. I said, almost hesitantly, that was a former broadcaster. When he asked me what program I staffed, I replied "The Atheist Hour."
I held my breath awaiting his reaction, knowing his loyalty to his faith and his respect for others' religions. The immediate words out of his mouth were "Good for you! What does it matter if my neighbor's an atheist or Buddhist, or gay or whatever. Those who worry about those things just want to control other people. Control yourself!"
If I wasn't already on board, I'd have jumped on board in that instant.
--Gary Yokie, Houston, TX
Kucinich for President
A Darwin Day for All of Us
(
"Agnostic Mom: Darwin Day: A Day of Celebration and Education" HNN Jan. 17, 2007)
I just read the column by Noell Hyman in the Jan. 17
HNN. While, as usual, I find Noell (Agnostic Mom) insightful and a pleasure to read, I would like to point out that, contrary to what she writes, there is no "official" Darwin Day web site.
Darwin Day was started independently by several groups in the mid-1990s, among others by myself at the University of Tennessee. The Darwin Day web site was then initiated by Amanda Chessworth (who has collaborated with both
Skeptic and
Skeptical inquirer) as an informal way of helping the grassroots movement.
I would therefore ask Noell and all humanists to not consider the
Darwin Day website "official" in any capacity. Darwin Day is a great idea, and it belongs to the entire rationalist community, let us keep it that way!
-- Massimo Pigliucci, Stony Brook, N.Y.
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