Personhood theorists claim that one who becomes permanently unconscious has lost personhood. Some even claim that such people are “dead.” In any event, personhood theorists hold that a permanently unconscious human being is of materially less moral value than persons (perhaps including . . . . Continue Reading »
Good news: Thanks to biotechnology, it may soon be possible to not use animals in testing cosmetics for skin irritation. From the story in New Scientist:Stretched taut across the top of a vial, the thin cream-coloured material feels almost like rubber. Barely 1 centimetre in diameter, this is a . . . . Continue Reading »
Massachusetts passed state-wide guaranteed health care last year, and it now has an insufficient number of primary care physicians. From the Wall Street Journal story:On the day Ms. [Tamar] Lewis signed up, she said she called more than two dozen primary-care doctors approved by her insurer looking . . . . Continue Reading »
This charming story about Jessica the Hippo is a bit disturbing. Jessica was saved from death by human intervention—we are the only species that do this constantly for species other than our own. And the game warden’s saving her life at the age of one day, represents our unique capacity . . . . Continue Reading »
Seven years ago, I wrote about the courageous campaign of New York Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn (D-Queens), who bucked her usual political allies to force the first “Baby AIDS” legislation in the country, requiring all infants to be routinely tested for HIV. The hell she was put . . . . Continue Reading »
This is the price paid when we reject human exceptionalism and its necessary corollary, universal human equality—in this case between females and males. From the awful story in the Telegraph:Thirty polythene bags stuffed with the remains of female foetuses and newly born babies have been found . . . . Continue Reading »
I once favored Canadian-style health care for the USA, but no more. Having visited that wonderful country frequently and paid much attention to its politics and culture, I reluctantly concluded that full nationalized funding—even with doctors remaining in the private sector—does not . . . . Continue Reading »
Actually, perhaps an effective drug treatment that can prevent the plaque from destroying areas of the brain. From the story:Biologists have developed a compound which has successfully prevented the disease killing brain cells, improving memory and learning ability that was already damaged.The . . . . Continue Reading »
This is an interesting story that demonstrates the astonishing adaptability of the body. A man was found with a brain only about 25% the usual size, and yet he is fully functional and not mentally impaired. From the story in the New Scientist:A man with an unusually tiny brain manages to live an . . . . Continue Reading »
Now with the Lake County (IL) Coroner supporting some murder/suicides of the elderly, it is worth looking at some of the professional literature on the subject. It isn’t merely another “choice,” but often is a result of spousal abuse and depression. This is from an abstract of a . . . . Continue Reading »
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