If YOU had to make the decision, would you respect a JW relatives wish to refuse a blood transfusion? (page 12)

cofty

No it's not that problem at all.

There are very significant ethical differences.

Ucantnome

With mental capacity he decided he did not want to go to hospital he would want me to support his choice that he had a right to make.

Supporting a choice on medical procedure as opposed to assisting suicide in my view is different.

I think it is viewed differently in the eyes of the law. I feel I have a choice. There is no guarantee the medical procedure will save the persons life. Like my mother, not having the chemo didn't result in her death. I would not have forced my opinion on to her if she could not make her own decision. I'm not taking life.

It seems as if you are trying to force your opinions on to me.

cyberjesus

The answer to the OP is not a YES/NO there are many different scenarios. Do I think is a good thing the govt can take away your rights as a parent if you decide not to give a blood transfussion to their child?.... yes. its a child.

What if its an adult and needs blood transfusion. The adult said no. Should the govt respect that? Of course.

You ideals gives you identity. Thats who you are and what you believe. Does that make the ideals right? only for the person who has them.

I dont believe in war. I think is stupid. What if my son does? Should I prevent him from going if he is already an adult? What if his ideals are to give his life for his ideals? I might disagree but thats his belief.

Many people give their life for what they believe daily. its their choice.

cyberjesus

“I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.” Martin Luther King, Jr., Speech in Detroit, Michigan, circa 196

Ucantnome

Cofty do you feel I have no right to make a choice then?

Ucant if you don't want to deal with the question just say so.

Cofty its not that I don't want to deal with it I am doing my best to answer it.

cofty

Cofty do you feel I have no right to make a choice then?

Ucant - Obviously not. I am trying to get to the ethics of the question by using a hypothetical example.

Ucantnome

so you feel age makes a difference and you would go against someone's wishes if you felt it might save their life and that is ethically right

Ucantnome

I suppose I like freedom of choice.

slimboyfat

I think a useful distinction could be made between what we think we should ethically do and what we think we actually would do in the situation.

Like I said before, the principle of autonomy seems pretty important to me, and in principle I think people's wishes should be respected.

In practice I suspect I would authorise blood for some people I care about if the unlikely situation arose, and say sorry afterward.

People do things they think are unethical all the time. I think imposing medical treatment is unethical, but I suspect I might do it anyway in some situations.

It seems a bit unrealistic to treat the ethics and the practice of the situation as if they are one and the same thing.

cofty

Thought Experiment

Your sibling is a devout JW and of good health.

Scenario 1 - they have been stabbed, they are unconscious and they are dying. A blood transfusion will save them, without it they will die. You have the decision.

Scenario 2 - They have taken the Kool Aid because they believe it is time to join god on a passing comet. They are unconscious and dying. You have the antidote in a hypodermic. What do you do?

If your answer for 1 and 2 is different please explain the ethical difference.

If YOU had to make the decision, would you respect a JW relatives wish to refuse a blood transfusion?

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