Re Singer's comments
perhaps we will see a time when death sentences are commuted to
experimentation sentences? Rather than just propose organ donation from
executed prisoners, they could be kept alive for medical experimentation?
Also, what about the lives of people addicted to heroin? Perhaps the state
could exchange heroin for medical experimentation - or what about the
alcoholic living and sleeping on the streets? Whose values are used when
deciding a life worth living?
**PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS**
Best regards
Laurence Bathurst
School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Sydney
PO Box 170
Lidcombe NSW 1825
Australia
Ph: 61 2 9351 9509
Fax: 61 2 9351 9509
Email: [log in to unmask]
See School Website www.ot.cchs.usyd.edu.au
Home Ph: 61 2 9818 2050
Mobile Ph: 0407 069 441
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen N. Drake" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 3:53 AM
Subject: USA: CBS Press Release on Peter Singer Story
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Glauber, Steve S.
>
> February 19, 2002
>
> CONTROVERSIAL ETHICIST SAYS EXPERIMENT
>
> ON MEN, NOT BEASTS - WEDNESDAY ON "60 MINUTES II"
>
> Philosopher Peter Singer is known throughout the world for his
> controversial belief that all life is not equally precious. In fact,
> Singer tells correspondent Dan Rather that it may be ethical to
> kill handicapped babies and argues that the lives of animals are
> not inferior to the lives of humans. Rather's report on Princeton
> University's controversial ethicist will be broadcast on
> 60 MINUTES II, Wednesday, Feb. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on
> the CBS Television Network.
>
> Although many consider Singer's views on medical
> research immoral, he maintains that his views are simply
> unconventional and explains to Rather why he thinks that in
> certain situations it may be better to conduct dangerous
> experiments on certain humans as opposed to animals. ".I think
> there, perhaps, are some things which could be done with people
> who are no longer conscious at all and will never recover
> consciousness," says Singer "It would be ethically justifiable to
> approach the relatives and to say, 'Look, we want to find out
> whether certain drugs produce adverse reactions in human beings.
> Do you have any objections to doing this test on your relative who
> can no longer suffer from it because he or she can no longer feel
> anything at all?'.Without consciousness, human life has dropped
> to a level, in fact, below that of a chimpanzee or a dog."
>
> Singer's ethical views about ending life aren't just words
> scribbled on a college blackboard -- they have real world application.
> In fact, Singer agrees with Diane Arnder's decision to fight an
> advocacy group in court for the right to end the life of her 29-year-old
> daughter who was suffering from cerebral palsy, severe mental
> retardation and seizures. "People have to understand you can
> only do so much to keep a person here and then, after that, it's
> time for God to intervene.or somebody to intervene and say, 'Hey,
> it's time to let go,'" says Arnder.
>
> But Steve Drake, a spokesman for Not Dead Yet, the disabled
> person's advocacy group that asked a judge to intervene in Arnder's
> case, disagrees -- he himself survived a childhood brain disorder.
> "It is dressed up nicely, it is spoken in very polite tones by a very
> polite person, but what [Singer] is really saying is that some
> people's lives are not worth living -- are not worth it for us, as a
> society, to put up with -- is not worth families having kids with
> disabilities," says Drake.
>
> Jeff Fager is the executive producer of 60 MINUTES II
> and Steve Glauber and Christopher Marin are the producers.
>
> * * *
>
> Press Contact: Kelli Edwards (N.Y.) 212/975-6795 or
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ________________End of message______________________
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