Teresa Ann Campo Pearson was born anencephalic due to a congenital birth defect. That is, she was born without a brain. As a result of her condition, Teresa would only live for a few days or a few weeks. Further, even if she lived longer, she would never develop preferences, ideas, likes, dislikes, or a personality, because she lacked the parts of the brain that facilitate those things. Teresa would never be conscious at all. She would never feel pleasure or pain, and would never even know that she existed. Babies are born every day in the United States that, for one reason or another, need organ transplants. Teresa's parents knew this and wanted to donate her organs to other children who did have brains and who might very well live long, healthy lives if they could receive Teresa's heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. However, if Teresa died naturally her organs would be unsuitable for transplant, and if her organs were harvested before her death then organ harvest itself would kill her. The physicians in charge of Teresa's care objected to the wishes of her parents, and their decision to refrain from organ harvest was upheld in court. What would an Aristotelian approach be to whether or not Teresa's organs should be harvested to save the lives of other organ-needy children, even though the process of organ harvest would hasten her death?
Teresa Ann Campo Pearson was born anencephalic due to a congenital birth defect. That is, she was born without a brain. As a result of her condition, Teresa would only live for a few days or a few weeks. Further, even if she lived longer, she would never develop preferences, ideas, likes, dislikes, or a personality, because she lacked the parts of the brain that facilitate those things. Teresa would never be conscious at all. She would never feel pleasure or pain, and would never even know that she existed.
Babies are born every day in the United States that, for one reason or another, need organ transplants. Teresa's parents knew this and wanted to donate her organs to other children who did have brains and who might very well live long, healthy lives if they could receive Teresa's heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. However, if Teresa died naturally her organs would be unsuitable for transplant, and if her organs were harvested before her death then organ harvest itself would kill her.
The physicians in charge of Teresa's care objected to the wishes of her parents, and their decision to refrain from organ harvest was upheld in court.
What would an Aristotelian approach be to whether or not Teresa's organs should be harvested to save the lives of other organ-needy children, even though the process of organ harvest would hasten her death?
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