What is a Cure?

[selenite0]

I've been unhappily watching the current arguments over the definition of death and who gets to decide. This is only going to get worse as we invent more ways to repair damage and sustain badly damaged people. Anytime we settle on a definition somebody will come up with a new gadget that creates a loophole.

At the same time I'm watching the discussions on nanotechnology and other hoped-for breakthroughs. Science fiction has tossed out a whole bunch of possible technologies and reactions. I'd like to see what people really think of them.

So, a poll. If you were brain-damaged beyond any hope of recovery with current technology, but on stable life support, what would you think of these possibilities?

[Poll #463392]

There's a lot of ambiguities here--feel free to comment.

Comments

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

#1 - depends; is the clone a person with a brain (à la Bujold), or a spare parts storage (à la Heinlein)? In the former case, my answer stands; in the latter, bring it on!

#9 isn't a cure, but I might go for it.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

I still think you need an "it depends" answer.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

You just used it.

DNR

[bkseiver.livejournal.com]

Don't even think about it: I'm a DNR, and I'll HAUNT you if you make any other decision for me!

Re: DNR

[ckgriffin.livejournal.com]

That sounds like my mom. There is little as disgusting as having to listen to a doctor say "We know she has a DNR, we have heard such from her directly, do YOU want us to resuscitate and sustain her anyway?" It was all I could do to remind myself that the doctor had to ask and restrain myself from decking him. Of course Mom also said we could have a memorial service but she would haunt us if we had a funeral.

[archangelbeth]

Heh. My religion turned a lot of "healthy person not me" into "not a cure."

Although... There's not an answer for "This is a partial cure and I could live with it" or "This is a partial cure but it's not enough for me."

[dragon-feather.livejournal.com]

The basic problem with all the possibilities you gave is that at some level a portion of who I am will be lost. The idea of a computer in my head is just making me a living robot. Personally, I like Heinlien's answer. The brain is dead, but the body still lives, so if someone is in reverse circumstance, brain transplant does sound like a cure (though, obviously, should be a same sex change unless you want to go through ALOT of therapy)

One small aside: If all the restoratives you present are changing me into someone else, what about the drugs we currently take to cure just about any mental trauma (Using cure loosely here) I take them currently because I do want to change who I am, and have a reasonable idea of what the drugs will change me into. With the above options though, it's hard to say right now untill they are actually available.

However, I can also see when such things are available that many, if not most, would jump apon it if a loved one had suffered brain damage. While that might not be the same person, it would look, and in many cases, act, like the original, which would make those outside looking in think that it is indeed a cure, but it's an illusion, and nothing more.

The exception is the last question. And I'm not really sure. On one hand, it'd be nice to see the future we only dream about now, but on the other, I would likely loose everyone/thing I care about as they die. ::Shrug::

[tygerr.livejournal.com]

Caveats:

Every "I'd want it" of mine is dependent upon cost. I don't want it if it's going to bankrupt my loved ones or if I'd be contributing to an unsupportable drain on societal resources.

All answers involving "clone a brain" are dependent on whether the cloned brain has personality/consciousness of its own (i.e., is a Person) or not (i.e., is a Spare Part). (That determination is independent of whether or not the cloned brain is grown with a body around it or not.)

Several of your scenarios invite debate about what makes "me". Is a replicated Me Mk II still "me", or not? I think not, but I'm willing to entertain arguments either way.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I'm willing to entertain arguments either way.

Me, too. A lot of those questions go into my "too hard" category.

[dryaunda.livejournal.com]

Sure, a lot of these will make a bioxox of me, but that's better than death. At least my bioxox will have a second chance at life.

Re: DNR

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Heh, yes. The night Karl and I were having his Big Heavy Discussion on this, as illustration I was telling him how you'd told us in case of serious burns, do not open your airway. That was right after you'd done your nursing rotation in the burn unit, right?

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

One small aside: If all the restoratives you present are changing me into someone else, what about the drugs we currently take to cure just about any mental trauma

Hm, yes, that's the reason I've not been willing to try any of those myself.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

A lot of those questions go into my "too hard" category.

Yeah, he's just asking us because he doesn't have answers and he'd rather see us all squirm, too. ;-P

[selenite.livejournal.com]

If I get really lucky someone will come along with a really good answer and solve it for me . . .

[dragon-feather.livejournal.com]

::nods:: It's a matter of choice though. I know who I am under the drugs is not who I was born as, however it has allowed me to function better in society. For some, like myself, it is acceptible, for others it's not. And that is all well and good.

On the other hand, with the problems of being "brain dead" or in some other way immobolized and unable to communicate in any way to those around us, we are left to those who care for us. Living wills are all well and good, but honestly, theres ways aroudn them if our loved ones can't bare letting us go.

(Sorry for the delay in the reply, been off in never-never land for a bit now)