“Near-death experiences: What really happens?”. The title of this report struck me as interesting, but as I continued to read my perception on the article changed from natural curiosity, to utter shock and disgust. “Now scientists aim to study what really happens to the brain and consciousness when someone is on the verge of dying”. The first thing that came to mind when reading this was that if the person was on the verge of dying, wouldn’t you be trying to save them rather than studying what’s going on in their brain?
Perhaps I don’t have all the facts as the article was rather vague, and I’m guessing it’s just an initial announcement about the possible upcoming research. However, from seeing that the idea is that “doctors will examine patients in hospitals in Europe and North America who reach a state called cardiac arrest”, I wouldn’t think my perspective on the topic would change much from reading any further.
"Cardiac arrest is a process that begins when the heart stops beating, the lungs stop working and the brain ceases functioning”. It doesn't matter whether this patient was an average patient in a hospital, or a volunteer for the benefit of research, we have to ask ourselves, where is our ethics, and how far does “science” have to go before we decide to make a public stand? If cloning people for the benefit of “better-health-insurance” is disapproved world-wide, then how come studying the brain and mind of a dying person to satisfy our curiosity is even a subject of a possibility?
It’s obvious that I’m against the implications of this article, but it could be my own personal perception based on my character, environment, and knowledge of similar topics. Other’s may agree with this article, although I can’t possibly see any light there is to shed in this topic other then selfish curiosity to explain something that is currently unexplainable.
Article Link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26675999/
4 years ago
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