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The Brain Dead Aren't All So Brain Dead After All

Brickjectivity

Brickjectivity

wind and rain touch not this brain
Staff member
Premium Member
Revoltingest said:
Great news...
Alive inside: How do we reach ‘vegetative’ patients when tests show they’re aware of everything
Too much to excerpt.
Clicking on the link is best.
Click to expand...
To me the most interesting part from that article is:
Most remarkably, others are testing deep brain stimulation and other interventions to “re-awaken” or hasten awareness in people in minimally conscious states, even years out from their injury.

But the rapidly evolving field is also raising serious ethical challenges, about how we think about consciousness; about false hope and about the existential risks of making people more aware of an existence many would consider a living nightmare.
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My thought is that this resolves to something like what the EMT in an ambulance faces. For a period of time somewhere in the 1970's and 1980's they were at risk of a lawsuit if they resuscitated people, but eventually common sense ruled. These days unless someone has a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order, the EMT attempts to save the life and can't sued for trying. The reasoning is "They are dying, and you can't do anything for them after they are dead." I think this is a similar situation. They're incommunicado, so you can't do anything for them until you can find a way to communicate with them. With brain stimulation there seems a reasonable chance they could be put into severe pain or madness. There is a risk of a lawsuit and also an ethical risk that you will cause them problems. I think that the reasoning will follow the same lines as it has for DNR orders. I think in the future people will have to either have a "Do Not Brain Stimulate" order or a family agreement giving family members the decision. Else the Neuro-revival specialists will go ahead and try to revive the brain.
 
Revoltingest

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
whirlingmerc said:
So play music and read to them? Does it have any great suggestions? like audio books?

Is it better for them to execsise the thinking or better to let them rest?
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If I were in such a state, I'd want to be entertained or somehow engaged regularly.
Or visited by the shovel fairy if my prognosis didn't mean quick recovery.
 
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oldbadger

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
Revoltingest said:
If I were in such a state, I'd want to be entertained or somehow engaged regularly.
Or visited by the shovel fairy if my prognosis didn't mean quick recovery.
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Oh no..... Revolting.
I would send in recordings about steam locomotives and such, to be piped in to your bits endlessly, a droning voice detailing the slight differences between the West Coast 4-6-2s and the Central 4-6-2a's and commenting upon the drawbacks and benefits of narrow guage mining tracks against timberland shunter rails. On and on, Revolting..... My voice would be perfect. :p
 
BSM1

BSM1

What? Me worry?
oldbadger said:
Oh no..... Revolting.
I would send in recordings about steam locomotives and such, to be piped in to your bits endlessly, a droning voice detailing the slight differences between the West Coast 4-6-2s and the Central 4-6-2a's and commenting upon the drawbacks and benefits of narrow guage mining tracks against timberland shunter rails. On and on, Revolting..... My voice would be perfect. :p
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Use to have a great uncle that was an engineer for N&W. He use to take us down to the roundhouse and let us board the two engines he drove. One was still steam with a fireman shoveling coal, and the other was a brand new diesel (with a water fountain!). Sorry, you just joggled an old memory.
 
Revoltingest

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
oldbadger said:
Oh no..... Revolting.
I would send in recordings about steam locomotives and such, to be piped in to your bits endlessly, a droning voice detailing the slight differences between the West Coast 4-6-2s and the Central 4-6-2a's and commenting upon the drawbacks and benefits of narrow guage mining tracks against timberland shunter rails. On and on, Revolting..... My voice would be perfect. :p
Click to expand...
I'll bet Marathon Man is your favorite movie.
 
Jayhawker Soule

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
Thanks for sharing the article. Apparently I've been too cocky (not sure if that's the best word) about terminating the life of those deemed brain dead. It's an important lesson.
 
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