tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post762953770025559025..comments2024-03-02T02:26:00.928-05:00Comments on bleakonomy: The ethics of institutional care for low-functioning childrentetracontadigonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04604381739383227553noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-3377491163593276212009-10-24T22:04:34.417-04:002009-10-24T22:04:34.417-04:00Regarding 1), most people regard a child's lif...Regarding 1), most people regard a child's life as more valuable is evolutionary conditioning; children spread genes in the future, the elderly have finished spreading genes. A utilitarian view might value both lives similarly.<br /><br />2), we'll always pit the young against the elderly in a system with finite resources. And it may not be the first place we'd look, but we will look in time.<br /><br />3) conservatives aren't being asked for their views on healthcare; conservatives are being told to STFU, or, depending on the President's poll results, to pick up a mop and STFU. The President says we'll have a "difficult democratic conversation", and if he's as straightforward about that as he was about his commitment to put heathcare negotiations on C-SPAN... well, I'm just wondering how that conversation will play out since it doesn't bend the cost curve downward. <br /><br />For my part, as a conservative, I'd say we as a country should help out in such extraordinary situations. No question.Gadfly Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-57517957842508257842009-10-23T22:50:53.980-04:002009-10-23T22:50:53.980-04:00Naptime, you have no idea how awesome that smile w...Naptime, you have no idea how awesome that smile was.<br /><br />Gadfly, a few points:<br /><br />1) the question you ask is not a simple one to answer, and comes up a lot in various intro classes that Ive taught. Most people do have an instinct that a child's life is more worth preserving than an elderly person's. My guess is that since most people's intuition is that continued life is a good, even for very impaired people, children can expect more of this good than can a 95-year old. So more good is preserved by helping a child. A pretty utilitarian intuition. A Kantian would have to say the lives are incomparably valuable.<br /><br />that said,<br /> <br />2) I don't see why this is the first place we'd look to cut costs, and we need not pit the interests of the young and old against each other. <br /><br />And<br /><br />3) This seems to me to be the absolute least objectionable situation for a government aid to its citizens that there is, and seems as if it should be the most palatable to conservatives. You have a situation where there is absolutely no fault on the part of the recipient. One is not being lazy or shirking work. One merely had a child. In many cases, a parent had the option to abort because they knew about the condition prenatally, but decided against it for, I think, admirable moral reasons (not so in my case - we found out after he was born). So the argument that a government handout reinforces a negative behavior, as people argue against welfare, is not applicable in this case.<br /><br />My son has been in the NICU for 51 days now. I would not be at all shocked to learn that his medical costs are approaching 7 figures. He can expect to be hospitalized in a less intensive setting for months to come and will require lifelong medical and therapeutic interventions. My insurance will run out at some point, or we might change jobs and be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition. We would have to declare bankruptcy.<br /><br />The costs are simply too great for even extremely wealthy families to bear. The government refusing to help would lead, most likely, to many many more abortions, and many abandoned, neglected, and abused children. Since one is not rewarding negative behavior by helping out, shouldn't conservatives get behind government help for families in these situations?Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09953173396955681485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-88179023577640069082009-10-23T21:58:21.692-04:002009-10-23T21:58:21.692-04:00Wow. I'm at a loss for words. I cannot imagine...Wow. I'm at a loss for words. I cannot imagine how difficult this decision must be; how poignant every day must be.<br /><br />How lucky your whole family is that you are willing to consider every side, knowing that no choice is perfectly ideal, and that any decision will be tough. Based on your willingness to look at all sides and think hard with head, heart, and gut, of *course* your decision will be moral by definition. <br /><br />I don't know what to wish you, because wishing you an easy decision is impossible. I'm glad you got that smile.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-76996896892699142542009-10-23T20:57:48.143-04:002009-10-23T20:57:48.143-04:00Thanks so much for the kind words and prayers. I r...Thanks so much for the kind words and prayers. I really appreciate it. One of the positive things that has come out of this is that experiencing greater generosity of spirit than I believed people possessed.<br /><br />I'm also blessed, unlike many people with disabled children, with an amazing husband, an amazing older son who I trust to handle the difficulties this may put in his path, and an amazing job that I love.<br /><br />And my littlest guy just started smiling for the first time. <br /><br />And all I can say is, whatever decision we make, we will at least have given very serious consideration to all the moral and emotional issues involved.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09953173396955681485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-61958559092533722302009-10-23T19:43:02.272-04:002009-10-23T19:43:02.272-04:00Elizabeth,
You, your family, and your new son hav...Elizabeth,<br /><br />You, your family, and your new son have been in my prayers. <br /><br />Your comments make perfect sense. Since each child and each family is unique, a "play it by ear" approach seems to be the most compassionate and the most practical. I am confident that you and your husband will make a wise decision regarding your baby's future living situation.<br /><br />God bless you,<br /><br />BarbaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-52812706466721570502009-10-23T14:25:25.464-04:002009-10-23T14:25:25.464-04:00Elizabeth, In an ideal world children would not be...Elizabeth, In an ideal world children would not be born with such a devastating illness. I am at a loss for words after reading your post. I offer you this: I will say a prayer that whatever choice you make, will bring peace of mind to you and your family. God always listens to my prayers as I don't bother him very often.Uncle Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07992402926190259718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-29691570934257809432009-10-23T14:14:47.389-04:002009-10-23T14:14:47.389-04:00Since I'm the gadfly, and the Devil pays me a ...Since I'm the gadfly, and the Devil pays me a high retainer, I'm going to venture an analogy here that may be distressing (it is personally distressing to me, but I want to see where this goes when bright people toss it around).<br /><br />Just how different is a child with 5p syndrome than granny at 95 with declining mental functions? The future potential for both are severely circumscribed. Would not the arguments for supplying medical care apply to both granny and a 5p child? Should either one receive excellent therapy services at public expense, seeing as society needs to bend the cost curve downward? IOW, should we as humans value the impared elderly and impared children the same?Gadfly Johnnoreply@blogger.com