[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

[anon forever]

[crouching_sin]

'Scheduled' to? I suppose you're someone who believes in fate or something like that, then.

[death_glare]

Yes scheduled. Everyone has a predetermined death date, time and cause. If you want to call it fate, then I suppose it could be considered that to those who do not understand the process.

[crouching_sin]

[... Uh.]

And just how do you come to have this knowledge?

[death_glare]

I am a Reaper of the Dispatch Management Division. I am required to know.

[crouching_sin]

[... Well then.]

I see. As in, you take souls from their bodies at the time of death?

[death_glare]

Yes. We reap, view and judge any souls scheduled for death.

[crouching_sin]

And what happens to them after that?

[death_glare]

Any number of things. Honestly, it is not my department so I can't say I know the full procedure. But there are many options for afterlife.

[ William, stop making it sound like they all go to see a travel agent afterwards. ]

[crouching_sin]

I see. That's not the case where I'm from. Souls are reincarnated without their memories.

[death_glare]

That is one of the options. Though I am curious, how are you aware of reincarnation if no one remembers their previous life? They shouldn't even be aware of the possibility if that is the case.

[crouching_sin]

Things such as that are one of my particular fields of interests. It's somewhat of a specialty of mine.

[death_glare]

Interesting. Would you mind if I asked your profession? Or is this simply a hobby of yours?

[crouching_sin]

Me? I work with computers. It's just something that I've studied on my own.

[death_glare]

An odd interest.

Still, if you ever have any inquiries about how death functions in my world, I would not be adverse to answering them for you.

[crouching_sin]

Is it? It seems like a pretty normal interest to me. Don't a lot of people have an interest in what happens after they die?

And that sounds good to me.

[death_glare]

True. Though it seems more are fearful of it rather than actively seeking information about it out of interest.

[crouching_sin]

People have different reactions to that kind of thing.

[death_glare]

I suppose so.

What got you interested in such a topic, to begin with?

[crouching_sin]

Personal matters, to be honest. Ones that aren't open to discussion, and certainly not here.

[death_glare]

I apologise. I was merely curious.

[crouching_sin]

It's understandable, but some things are personal.

[death_glare]

Of course. I won't pry.