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Ethical Quandary
Jul. 23rd, 2008 06:56 pmIt seems to me, cynical as I am, that many people take many of the other people in their lives--especially family members--for granted. Like they'll always be around forever. I suspect that this is, in large part, due to the fact that we don't get exposed to a lot of death on a day to day basis. At least not death of people.
One way that seems to help counteract that taking-for-granted is the discovery that the person being taken for granted is going to die. This can result in a realization that no, that person isn't going to be around forever and you won't have until the end of time to do everything that you want to do with them. It can lead to a setting aside of differences, burying of hatchets, and doing of things that are important to you both.
It can also have many unfortunate results as well, but I'm _trying_ to keep this fairly optimistic for the purposes of the ethical problem. Please grant that, for the purposes of considering this question, it will cause the soon-to-be-deceased to grow closer to most of the people in their life.
That having been said, imagine the following scenario:
A person has gone in for a major operation, or perhaps they've been in a serious accident; regardless they are in the hospital and their family members and maybe some friends as well are all gathered to hear the outcome.
After a period of very tense waiting (hours, for some of them), they are ushered to the doctor's office. The doctor gently closes the door, turns to face the assembled family and friends, and says gravely, "I'm sorry to tell you that your friend, your family member, your loved one, is going to die."
"...but not for quite some time. The operation was a success, they'll be kept here for a few days and we'll have them home by the end of the week."
Assuming that many of them made a mental shift towards a headspace where they would be more likely to make amends and/or grow closer in that brief pause when they had the impression that the person's death was imminent, would such a thing be ethical for a physician to do? Why or why not? What does "ethics" mean in this situation?
One way that seems to help counteract that taking-for-granted is the discovery that the person being taken for granted is going to die. This can result in a realization that no, that person isn't going to be around forever and you won't have until the end of time to do everything that you want to do with them. It can lead to a setting aside of differences, burying of hatchets, and doing of things that are important to you both.
It can also have many unfortunate results as well, but I'm _trying_ to keep this fairly optimistic for the purposes of the ethical problem. Please grant that, for the purposes of considering this question, it will cause the soon-to-be-deceased to grow closer to most of the people in their life.
That having been said, imagine the following scenario:
A person has gone in for a major operation, or perhaps they've been in a serious accident; regardless they are in the hospital and their family members and maybe some friends as well are all gathered to hear the outcome.
After a period of very tense waiting (hours, for some of them), they are ushered to the doctor's office. The doctor gently closes the door, turns to face the assembled family and friends, and says gravely, "I'm sorry to tell you that your friend, your family member, your loved one, is going to die."
"...but not for quite some time. The operation was a success, they'll be kept here for a few days and we'll have them home by the end of the week."
Assuming that many of them made a mental shift towards a headspace where they would be more likely to make amends and/or grow closer in that brief pause when they had the impression that the person's death was imminent, would such a thing be ethical for a physician to do? Why or why not? What does "ethics" mean in this situation?
