Before considering the relationship of euthanasia to personhood, it is important to consider what I mean by euthanasia.
I am using the following definition of euthanasia:
Euthanasia involves a person (or persons) actively ending the life of another person, for what are considered compassionate reasons, with consent of (or by request of) the person or a person who is the appropriate decision maker for the person whose life is being ended.
Euthanasia involves the taking of a life for what are considered compassionate reasons. … Read the rest
Why write on personhood? When thinking on personhood, I am considering what it is to be a person. How do we defined a person?
Is a person an integrated body-soul or is a person, in some way, separate from the body they inhabit? This, I believe, is a very important question when considering considering issues like, organ donation, In Vitro Fertilization, abortion and euthanasia.
For vital organs to be harvested for donation, they must be alive. Living organs are only found in living bodies. … Read the rest
The question: Is it possible for a person to be dead while their body is still alive?
Why should we ask this question?
Organ donation is a good thing is it not? Before we decide, we should be aware of what happens with organ donation.
For now, I will limit the discussion to donation of vital organs. By vital organs, I mean organs that a person cannot do without. For organs to be useful for transplantation, they need to be alive.… Read the rest
Prior to 2012 whether IVF was associated with a higher incident of birth defects was controversial. In 2012, a study was released demonstrating there is indeed a higher incidence of birth defects reported in children born by IVF compared to those born by natural conception. In 2016 another study has been published coming to the same conclusion. Now those who promote IVF, instead of questioning its association with birth defects, focus on the relatively low incidence of defects.
Below is an excerpt on this issue from the IVF chapter in my book, questioning medical technologies.… Read the rest
Worldview and Ethical Issues from a Biblical Perspective
