Personhood
Categories for 'personhood' were suggested in the 'abortion' topic of the course. Warren suggested the following criteria; sentience, emotionality, reason, the capacity to communicate, self awareness and moral agency.
The definition of personhood is very subjective.
Would someone who had been declared brain-dead still be valued as a person?
Would someone being kept alive by life support be valued as a person?
Would someone in a coma be valued as a person?
Would someone who was severely mentally handicapped be valued as a person?
This is a complicated ethical problem, which can be seen to devalue the lives of certain people.
It has been suggested that with the continual advancements in medicine, could what is now a terminal condition always be without treatment?
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