Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/10/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]John, I agree. What you say is true, is sobering, and makes a point worth pondering. I would include a decent sewage system on your list, by the way. Barney On Thursday, October 30, 2003, at 07:06 PM, John Collier wrote: > I do not disagree but these same operations are insignificant in > prolonging the general population's life span. Simple things like > proper diet and potable water have a huge effect on prolonging the > general population's life span. > > John Collier > > On Thursday, October 30, 2003, at 02:34 PM, Barney Quinn wrote: > >> 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. >>> >>> -- >>> To unsubscribe, see >>> http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html >> >> -- >> To unsubscribe, see >> http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html >> > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html