[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

[text]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Because questions like this are ridiculous. Only someone stupid would chose to take the backpacker's organs without asking.

[... Dammit Fran]

[crouching_sin]

Stupid, or unethical according to the definitions of most people?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[....]

Unethical. The question itself is stupid though. At least to me.

[crouching_sin]

Maybe. It's supposed to get you to start thinking about your own morality. It's intended for students, actually.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Makes sense. I don't usually go to school.

[crouching_sin]

I enjoy it. Some of it, at least. Or I did when I went.