From the latest issue of Neuroethics:
Minimally Conscious State and Human Dignity
| (1) | Department of Philosophy, University of Turku, Turku, FIN-20014, Finland |
Abstract: Recent progress in neurosciences has improved our understanding of chronic disorders of consciousness. One example of this advancement is the emergence of the new diagnostic category of minimally conscious state (MCS). The central characteristic of MCS is impaired consciousness. Though the phenomenon now referred to as MCS pre-existed its inclusion in diagnostic classifications, the current medical ethical concepts mainly apply to patients with normal consciousness and to non-conscious patients. Accordingly, how we morally should stand with persons in minimally conscious state remains unclear. In this paper, I examine whether the notion of human dignity could provide us with guidance with the moral difficulties MCS gives rise to. More precisely, I focus on the question of whether we are justified in holding that persons in minimally conscious state possess human dignity.
I am writing about Persistent Vegetative State or minimally conscious state due to my personal experiences. It is my 5th year with my son Jawad Pasha who was a PVS after an accident then he improved like a MCS and now a fully conscious but without motor function. I am also working with some otherpatients and now I can say that we are justified in holding that persons in minimally conscious state possess human dignity. Most of them have some sort of consciousness but we are unable to asses them.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 05/26/2009 at 05:40 PM