Re: [Leica] something something and now animals

["Barney Quinn" <Barney.Quinn@noaa.gov>]

John,

I don't know if I understand what you are trying to say. There certainly
are operations which will prolong one's life. Ask a cancer or heart
patient. And, serious disease, like blindness can most certainly shorten
ones life in a number of ways which range from making one more accident
prone, more subject to opportunistic diseases, to destroying ones will to
live. I think that your analysis vastly underestimates the pernicious
effects that chronic illness has on people.

Barney

John Collier wrote:

> This is the classic misperception. That one or another operation will
> make us live longer. It may improve your quality of life but it will
> have little effect on how long you live. You imply that being blind
> will prevent you from functioning in society. I would agree with the
> proviso that you say "as I do now". Many people function perfectly well
> in society with a wide variety of conditions that "normal" people
> consider catastrophic.
>
> John Collier
>
> On Thursday, October 30, 2003, at 12:41 PM, Barney Quinn wrote:
>
> >> It is an opening into the broader debate of what consciousness and
> >> intelligence are. Should other "lesser" organisms be sacrificed to
> >> marginally improve our life span* (and looks)?
> >
> > Marginally improve my life span? I have very serious eye disease. I
> > have had
> > five operations. I may well need a sixth early next year. If it
> > weren't for
> > the modern, miracle medicinesand techniques which have been developed
> > in part
> > with animal research I would be blind, unale to support myself, and a
> > burden
> > to society. I am eternally greatful there there are doctors and
> > scientists
> > who have been willing to devote their lives to trying to help people
> > with
> > very real medical problems.
>
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