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Organ Donors.
I was just reading over the terms and conditions to my replacement drivers license that arrived in the mail, and at the end was the usual organ donor form, should I so chose to fill it out.
It got me to realise, I really don't know where I stand on donating organs. It's not that I don't want someone to have my organs once I'm dead... it's that back in school in the cadaver lab, we were warned that it takes a while for the brain to completely deplete itself of energy... IE, some cadavers may respond to a scalpel through residual chemical energy left over in the form of an automatic response.
This un-nerves me. To me, it suggests that the conscious mind may also still be active in some way. Given that organ donations have to be removed rather quickly after declaration of death... the idea of my body being shut down, but having some residual consciousness left while they cut my organs out kinda gives me the creeps.
If it weren't for how quickly they harvest the organs after death, I'd have no issue with it. I'm not around any more, I'm long gone, my organs are no longer mine....
...but the quick nature of the organ harvest disturbs me.
The point of all this is...
What are my fellow atheists views on organ donation?
It got me to realise, I really don't know where I stand on donating organs. It's not that I don't want someone to have my organs once I'm dead... it's that back in school in the cadaver lab, we were warned that it takes a while for the brain to completely deplete itself of energy... IE, some cadavers may respond to a scalpel through residual chemical energy left over in the form of an automatic response.
This un-nerves me. To me, it suggests that the conscious mind may also still be active in some way. Given that organ donations have to be removed rather quickly after declaration of death... the idea of my body being shut down, but having some residual consciousness left while they cut my organs out kinda gives me the creeps.
If it weren't for how quickly they harvest the organs after death, I'd have no issue with it. I'm not around any more, I'm long gone, my organs are no longer mine....
...but the quick nature of the organ harvest disturbs me.
The point of all this is...
What are my fellow atheists views on organ donation?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Doli on -
Hahaha, thanks, I needed that.
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Permalink Reply by RTH on -
Seriously, though, I don't think it should be illegal for a person or his survivors to sell his or her body parts, even organs. That's not what I would do. I would rather just make a gift to the most needy person. But, if that's what other private parties want to do, then I don't think the State should stand between them.
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Permalink Reply by Johnsky on -
That makes incredible sense.
And it raises a good question... it should be the family that gets paid for harvested organs.
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Permalink Reply by marty mueller on -
"it should be the family that gets paid for the harvested organs" hmmmmm, so you'd rather the deepest pockets get your organs rather than the sickest(most in need). I do not agree with this concept at all. Its exactly whats wrong with the world. Something bad happened and I should get paid. Disgusting, and I hope I am not alone in this sentiment.
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Permalink Reply by Nate on -
"it should be the family that gets paid for the harvested organs" hmmmmm, so you'd rather the deepest pockets get your organs rather than the sickest(most in need). I do not agree with this concept at all. Its exactly whats wrong with the world. Something bad happened and I should get paid. Disgusting, and I hope I am not alone in this sentiment.
Based on this logic, none of us should get paid for any service we provide or any product we offer. I'm all for that. But it needs to be applied to everyone. We'll all just barter with one another and we'll all have our needs met, and money will become obsolete. Sounds wonderful. It really does. However, it's not the world we live in, like it or not.
Something bad happened and I should get paid.
All payments are made in exchange for the solution of a perceived problem.
A dirty house? Pay the cleaning service.
A malfunctioning automobile? Pay the mechanic.
A family has outgrown its home? Pay the contractor to build an addition or purchase another property.
You're hungry? Pay the store for the groceries or pay the restaurant for the food and remember to tip the waitress.
You're paralyzed by a phobia or severe personality disorder? Pay a qualified therapist to see you through.
Surgical equipment is needed to perform a live-saving organ transplant? Pay the manufacturer/dealer of the equipment.
Surely you don't consider any of the above receivers of payment to be disgusting.
It's true that in some cases, those not able to pay on their own to have their problems resolved receive assistance from society to pay for them, but payment is made.
I don't think any of us advocating the option of selling one's organs are insisting that that's the only option or the ideal. The decision should be personal.
Some individuals sell their hair. Others donate it.
Some individuals sell their blood. Others donate it.
I'd love to see money and invoicing of all kind done away with. Let's all just help each other. :)
I personally have no interest in selling my organs and I'm identified as an organ donor on my driver's license. But I don't see how the prohibition of the sale of one's organs is logical and I would not judge another for such a decision.
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Permalink Reply by marty mueller on
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Hmmm, an interesting sequence of logic. We pay others for goods and services, we recieve pay for goods and services. So where do we draw the line? Should we allow the legal sale and purchase of human organs? I guess Nate has it right when he states it is a personal choice. The whole concept of freethought is that others will have a different point of view than yourself. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject.
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Permalink Reply by RTH on
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It's not really, "Something bad happened and I should get paid." It's more like, "I have something that someone else is willing to buy from me." That's one of the bases of our economic system.
Charity is great, but that doesn't mean commerce should be illegal.
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Permalink Reply by Craig on -
Locked in syndrome appears to be a coma but the patient is fully conscious.
http://www.marykoch.com/locked-in_syndrome.htm
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Permalink Reply by SecularCortex13.x on -
in your will have 'make sure I'm dead' before organ donation
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Permalink Reply by RTH on
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Interesting thread. My own thought is: Even if I am somehow aware that my organs are being harvested, I'll just accept the weird feeling and any pain as something that is necessary to help others.
I've started an AN group for Atheist Organ Donors.
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Permalink Reply by Sonny Mobley on -
I am a donor. I have been since I got my driving permit at 15. I really believe in it. My best friend Chris died right after highschool and I found out he had been a donor, too. Now I know I always will be.
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Permalink Reply by unholyroller on -
Let me second everything JeanMarie has posted. She is well-informed, experienced in the subject of discussion and knows what she's talking about. BELIEVER HER! Not the silly "woo" stuff I'm shocked to read on this site or the urband legend horror stories about folks who wake just in the nick of time. It simply dosen't happen. Before organs are harvested there many strict protocols, tests, checks, double checks and second double checks. A body can be kept functioning indefinatly on life support while the brain has no electrical activity whatsoever. Think Karen Ann Quinlan, Terri Schivo and numerous others who have been kept "alive" at great tax-payer expence and for no other reason that right-wing fundy nutjobs, politicians of the same ilk and others who don't have enough to keep them busy not to mention grieving family who are so far in denial they won't/can't face the cold hard fact that their beautiful child is dead. Don't get me started on those who insist on wasting these expensive resources on the extreme elderly because Gramma was jess fine lass week and we jess know the lord is gonna heal her and she'll walk outta heer enny day now............to be continued
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