[Anon] [Text]

[crouching_sin]

Here's a question for you all. It's something that I read a while back, and I'm interested in your answers. Anonymous is fine, if you want.

There are five patients in a hospital. All of them are dying due to complications with various organs. All of them will die within the next day or so if they don't get an organ transplant. Magic won't save any of them, incidentally, if you were hoping to use that.

A young backpacker comes into the hospital or a checkup. He has no relatives, and he is in excellent health. As it happens, you, the surgeon on duty, notice that he is a perfect match for all five of the patients.

Assuming the backpacker does not give consent, is it morally permissible to cut him up and transfer the organs to the other patients? These are not organs that the backpacker can live without, so he'll die if you do.

I'm interested to hear what you think.

Comments

[in_praetego]

[ What kind of question is that even. ]

There's nothing morally permissible about that. Any doctor worth any respect knows the one of the tenants we're taught is to do no harm. The circumstances may be unfortunate but without the donor's consent, there's really nothing we can do.

[anon foreverrrrrr]

[crouching_sin]

Even if one of the people was someone you cared about?

[anon foreverrrrrr]

[in_praetego]

[ Ooh, that's a toughie. Immediately, his mind goes to Rin. If Rin were in that position... would he be willing to forego his Hippocratic oath? It takes him a while to respond. ]

Maybe. But only as a last resort.

[ Because he'd rather give his own organs. ]

[crouching_sin]

I see. So your oath only goes so far. Interesting.

[in_praetego]

Everyone has their reasons.

[ Really, who IS this guy? ]

[crouching_sin]

[You don't want to know, Yukio.]

Of course they do. It's just interesting to think about where everyone's morality crosses their limit. Don't you think so?

[in_praetego]

[ Given his Bible stories, no it might be best if he didn't. ]

No one's perfect. No matter how many times in a day someone prays or how strong their faith in God is, we're still human.

[crouching_sin]

[... Well that's sure a line that got crossed.]

God has nothing to do with morality or humanity being what it is. His laws are more cruel and ruthless than any that humans could make.

[in_praetego]

[ Hey man when you're raised by a priest. ]

The Lord gave humankind free will. It's faith that keeps most people on the path of what they consider morally good according to His will.

[crouching_sin]

You don't know the first thing about God or the real world. The churches are corrupt themselves, and God is a tyrant. He wants humans to stick to a very strict code that they can't hope to abide by, and punishes those who wander. He wants humans to stick to a standard that's unrealistic, and will strip their free will the moment they stray.

[in_praetego]

[ Oh Shiro, if you could see him now. ]

My father told me the Lord always welcomes back those who stray. He forgives those willing to ask for forgiveness. The Church isn't perfect but then again, who is?

[crouching_sin]

And why should someone ask forgiveness for crimes that were not their fault? I'm willing to bet that I have much more experience with this than you do - He pushes people to do terrible things, simply to make examples of them. Many of the villains in the Bible were merely people who were set up to fall just so a point could be made. And what happens to them? Horrible things... and all because He needed a target.

[in_praetego]

My father had always spoken of a merciful, forgiving God. He never said anything about the tyrannical overlord you seem to see Him as.

[crouching_sin]

I have much more personal experience with Him, unfortunately.

[in_praetego]

Personal... in what way?

[crouching_sin]

I've spoken to Him. At least, the one in my world.

Sorry! My inbox ate this tag!

[in_praetego]

You've spoken to God? Personally?

[ Everyone speaks to God, yeah... but with the way this one's going on? ]

It happens!

[crouching_sin]

I have, yes.