Re: The fragility of life

Steve Marshall wrote: 
"Peter H.M. Brooks" <peter@xxxxxxxxx> wrote


Trumpets aren't people. They suffer not though they cry. They die not
though they live. They live not though they are lively. They lift us up
by their echo of tragedy but they are not tragic.



No but a repairer may be able to say if a trumpet is past teh stage of
reasonable repair just as a doctor may be able to confirm a person is in a
condition which would merit ending their life.
>
In both cases one can seek a second opinion. In the former it is no great matter, in the latter it is a very great matter. 

As I think I said before (or did I delete that bit?) vets can tell when it's
time to put down an animal. Doctors should be able to make a decision about
humans. It should be easier if the person can communicate their wishes and
how they are feeling, but I dont' feel we should go on their wishes alone.

>
No, it is more difficult. Symptoms are much more problematic than signs.


Fix a trumpet and it feels no better. Crush it and it feels no pain. 


No but the owner turns a funny colour when you do it.

So you've tried this? 

Kant made the important point that people must not be treated as objects
- trumpets too must not be treated like people.



I wasn't. I was showing how an expert is a good option

Up to a point. An expert recently caused great misery by claiming that those who had one child die of cot death and then suffered another were more likely to be murderers of the child than those that suffered only one cot death. He has been drummed out of the BMA as a result.

Some hurts are too deep for fixing. 


There are ways of tackling anguish. It is surprising what the human can cope
with, given chance.

True enough. Humanists, I contend, try to reduce anguish.



--

That which we can only maintain by force we should try to do without - Quinten Crisp, Resident Alien
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