I would not make such an
unfathomably difficult and personal decision for someone else. I also do believe
that the vast majority of doctors are not leaping for joy when such cases
arise. Again, I'd leave the state out of this sphere of any person's life,
while realizing there could exist cases where a decision had to be made by
someone. Generalizing on these topics and passing laws based on such
generalizations is, I believe, not a good idea.
My father is 90, btw, and
doing well after yet another surgery. His new wife, a few years younger, is
wonderful company for him. If decisions of this nature were to come up in their
relationship, I would NOT want to be in a position to call the shots.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research. I am glad that scientists
are in large measure bypassing this issue by learning to use other than stem
cells for research and conclusions and findings they would not otherwise be
able to reach. From all I've read, stem cells that would be used for this kind
of research would die off anyway. Since I believe we should use the tools we've
been given to alleviate human suffering--I see this as our moral duty--I am in
favor of stem cell research, though this is seeming less and less relevant with
each passing week. Had medical
technologists been able to grow a heart for me, a kidney for my friend or
brother-in-law (who wound up with one of my sister's kidneys, risking her
life), I would have been most pleased.
Same sex marriage. As I've written on my website: "Establish
marriage equality. If a person wants to marry a potato, a slug, or a stinkbug,
let them. Many already have, and this has had no known effect on the marriage
or relationships of others." I can't add to that in any meaningful way, except
to say that I've known many same-sex oriented people and read tons on the
subject and believe this is genetically determined (with a few possible
exceptions, that would be none of my business).
Just remembered, I did write about this some years back: http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_daniel_g_071113_save_a_soul_3a_nip_a_g.htm
Nothing has changed since I
wrote that article that I am aware of.
Human Cloning. There have been many times when I thought
a few clones of myself would have been very helpful, particularly in the
classroom (a very scary thought at the moment!). Likewise, I have known many
beautiful people who it seems like we should have more of. However, my gut
feeling is that this is unnecessarily playing God (and one can take that term
in whatever way they want, I merely mean this would be taking our technology
too far too fast, when we don't really know what we're doing). I have little
doubt that the philosophical complications that would come from this would be
overwhelming, just as they are already on the question of whether we should use
gene manipulation to create "super humans" (which I oppose, due to the vastly
complex issues this creates).
A few last thoughts. I was
in biology for four years and have followed much of the work in that field
since I left college. I say this to give a better sense of where I'm coming
from. I DO think that how a society treats the weakest and least amongst its
members is one major direct measure of its greatness. Hence my interest in
improving education (literally, "to lead out of the dark"), ending poverty,
ending wars, and creating a viable and sustainable society.
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