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Ch. 7: THE MORAL ISSUE OF BIRTH DEFORMITIES

7.1. Meaning and Common Causes: abnormalities which are present at birth; genetic hereditary; outcome of the genetic information of the child; congenital non-hereditary; from physical damage during the process of fetal development (caused by radiation, drugs, chemicals, undernourishment, viruses, etc)
7.2. Types of deformities 7.2.1. Trisomy-21 (Downs Syndrome after Dr John Down in 1866) genetic disease from the presence of an extra chromosome in the genetic formation; newborn has twenty-first triple rather than a twenty-first pair of chromosomes: (1) broad skull, (2) large tongue, and (3) upward slant of the eye lids Mongolism; IQ of 50-80 7.2.2. Spina bifida the baby has (a) opening in the spine, (b) bulging sac, (c) spinal fluid and nerve tissue, (d) paralysis below the waist and (e) no control of bladder and bowel movements; can be treated through orthopedic operations (e.g., Forrest Gump) 7.2.3. Hydrocephaly (Gk. Hydro + kephale head) water in the head; accumulation of fluid within the ventricles which causes abnormal swelling; fluid must be drained to the heart or abdomen 7.2.4. Anencephaly (an without + enkephales brain) brain is partially/ totally absent; bones of skull not completely formed; no hope 7.2.5. Esophageal atresia closing of the esophagus; requires surgery 7.2.6. Duodenal atresia duodenum (upper part of the small intestine) is closed; requires surgery 7.3. Retrospect parents moral decision is very crucial; physicians advice is needed to help the parents in making informed decisions 7.4. Application of Ethical Theories: 7.4.1. Catholics right to life of a terribly malformed baby must be respected and safeguarded 7.4.2. Kants rationality Dignity? Only if a person 7.4.3. Rosss resolving conflicting duties shoulder the tremendous cost or let in die in a painless way 7.4.4. Fletchers situation ethics endorses termination of subhuman life based on only the end (a proportionate good) justifies the means: nothing else 7.4.5. Utilitarian put an end due to (a) personal (suffering of infant and discomfort to the family; (b) social (cost and liability to society) 7.4.6. Pragmatic practicality depends upon the parents financial resources Ch. 8: REDEFINITION AND DETERMINATION OF DEATH 8.0. Death a human experience that I myself cannot experience in the manner that I can experience the death of another individual; birth the beginning of our journey towards death; the time of departure 8.1. How do we know that life has ceased or ended? Intellectual and biological functions have totally stopped? 8.2. Several definitions of death: 8.2.1. Physiological definition: death the cessation of the heart beat; when a person stops breathing and the pulse ceases to beat 8.2.2. Religious/Philosophical: separation of soul and body (basis person is a substantial union of body and soul); problem: when do we know? 8.2.3. Brain death definition: when the brain is completely destroyed; to be determined through electro-encephalography (EEG) and electro-cardiogram (ECG) 8.2.4. Cellular: disintegration and breakdown of the metabolic process of the bodys substance; EEG is needed 8.2.5. What is common? Death the cessation of life; no longer breathing spontaneously 8.3. Medical Context: most organ donors are those who die from injuries or diseases of the brain; some organs are still transplantable 8.4. Attitudes towards Death 8.4.1. Cognitive: acceptance and denial accept death as part of life or deny by pointing at good health or young age 8.4.2. Affective attitudes: include depression, sense of loss and fear 8.4.3. Behavioral: includes anger and irritability; not yet now; help me, I still want to live 8.5. Several views of death: Nikolai Berdyaev only death can give meaning to life; Immortality can only be attained through death; Epicurus: either there is immortality or there is none; we should not fear death; Martin Heidegger death is the completion of life being-towards-death 8.6. Application of Ethical Theories: accept brain-related criteria