[Smokin' Joe]

The law, which should be especially vigilant in defending those who can't defend themselves, instead generally reflects the dominant view in bioethics that relative value can be placed on human lives.

How many of us in school (college) in the '70s were given either the 'lifeboat problem' or the 'kidney machine' problem where you had to decide who got to fill a limited number of spots and who died.

I was uncomfortable with the fact that rather than simply drawing straws, we were provided background data on each person and expected to decide their relative worth.

In light of social developments since, it seems safe to say we were being desensitized to performing triage on human characters.

What a short philosophical leap to the real thing.

[MarMema]

How many of us in school (college) in the '70s were given either the 'lifeboat problem' or the 'kidney machine' problem where you had to decide who got to fill a limited number of spots and who died.

Wow. I remember that in high school. In Germany they apparently gave kids math problems in school to teach that the expense of keeping a disabled person alive would allow a family of four to thrive.

Thanks for reminding me of this.

[BykrBayb]

That was a sick excercise. I was exposed to it in high school.