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By: rorschach
Date: 2/10/98 12:07:44 PM
# Replies: 22
Many of you avid SF fans may recognise this idea from "A gift from Earth" from Larry Niven, but I assure you, he was not the first to think of it.
I could be wrong on the actual numbers but it is my understanding that something like 10 people a day in Texas die while waiting for a new organ/bone marrow of one sort or another. Texas puts to death probably 40 relatively healthy people a year, each with a full complement of blood and organs.
Currently it is against the law for a prisoner on death row to donate his or her organs. This is done primarily for ethical reasons. My question for you is, are the ethical questions strong enough for this to continue? Should prisoners be REQUIRED to donate their organs? What about blood and bone marrow? These are "renewable" and can be donated repeatedly. Should prisoners be given "good time" credit for doing this humanitarian deed?
Like Niven's book, we are on the cusp of being able to "grow our own" so to speak but that has obvious ethical considerations as well.(see post #8 above)
As a point of reference, China already uses death row prisoners as organ banks (I have heard). So whats the answer?
Response #1
By: Ralf
Date: 2/10/98 5:52:52 PM
Niven extrapolated that when you start harvesting organs from felons, society starts imposing the death penalty for darn near everything so the organ banks remain full.
White collar crime? Break 'em up!
Too many traffic offenses? Break 'em up!
Think Judge Dredd. With tranquilzer darts...
Response #2
By: rorschach
Date: 2/11/98 9:22:49 AM
true, that COULD be the situation if taken to the logical extreme. And in fact in interviews Niven has stated that he intentionally went to the extreme to see where the story might lead. But I have to believe that society would draw the line somewhere. maybe rape? maybe kidnapping? maybe child molestation? but jay-walking? I doubt it...
Response #3
By: Jay
Date: 2/11/98 10:16:09 AM
I always found Nivens brand of witty urbane sophisticated humor a welcome addition to all of his movies, and here we see another fine example....
Response #4
By: Ralf
Date: 2/11/98 6:29:39 PM
No no no, you're thinking of David BRENNER, that wacky comedic genius, and owner of some ball club...
Response #5
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/12/98 6:03:12 PM
You know... Iraqi sandworms could be used not only as a wonderful food source, but also as skin grafts for burn victims.
Response #6
By: Da Sissop
Date: 2/12/98 9:06:17 PM
Good Lord! It's true! It's really true!
Response #7
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/13/98 6:44:37 AM
soon ALL shall know of the sandworms!
Response #8
By: Jay
Date: 2/16/98 12:24:17 PM
my cat has buttworms
Response #9
By: rorschach
Date: 2/16/98 4:27:02 PM
you have worms in your BUTT?!?
Response #10
By: Da Sissop
Date: 2/16/98 10:20:15 PM
You have CATS in your BUTT?
Response #11
By: jjhitt
Date: 2/17/98 4:56:51 AM
[ J.J. sprays the area with Lysol hopeing it will offer some protection. ]
Response #12
By: Zane T. Dark
Date: 2/17/98 11:19:44 AM
Wasn't that Niven short story 'Jigsaw Man'?
Response #13
By: rorschach
Date: 2/17/98 4:58:24 PM
yes there was a short by that name that was expanded upon for the book "a gift from earth". in fact all of his "Known Space" series utilize the same themes.
Response #14
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/17/98 10:23:25 PM
Ahh, so we recycle not only used body parts, but also plot ideas and storylines?
Response #15
By: Zane T. Dark
Date: 2/18/98 5:23:55 AM
Where do you think Gene Rodenberry got all this best material?
ZtD
---cringing and waiting for the bolt of lightning to strike..
Response #16
By: rorschach
Date: 2/18/98 9:01:06 AM
sort of. actually niven wrote several interlinked series using the same "universe" of characters and events. some from different time periods, some using different characters in different places. it is as if all of us had written our autobiographies. they would all have taken place in the same universe using the same history. but from seprate perspectives.
Response #17
By: Ralf
Date: 2/18/98 6:30:50 PM
Gene Roddenberry got all his best stuff from Harlan Ellison.
Response #18
By: Zane T. Dark
Date: 2/18/98 7:59:21 PM
Ralf:
Harlan's my hero...if for no other reason than he's a brilliant and unabashed smartass that's not afraid to say what he thinks...kind of like Pournell; only not as annoyingly smug.
Response #19
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 2/19/98 1:25:59 PM
You don't know Harl if you think he's not annoyingly smug.
And don't piss him off....he's liable to threaten to burn your fucking house down.
(Uhm, we go back.)
Response #20
By: Ralf
Date: 2/19/98 6:19:36 PM
Or mail you a dead badger. Seriously.
They're both assholes, but at least Ellison's a FUN asshole. Roddenberry was way too preachy... I like my science fiction to be thought-provoking, not politically correct.
Response #21
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/19/98 9:04:00 PM
Harlan Ellison R00LZ.
He's an amazing raconteur. I think it has to do with overcompensating for being so short.
Response #22
By: Zane T. Dark
Date: 2/20/98 7:33:54 AM
Ralf: I think that's it...he's FUN to listen to...I suppose as long as it's not you he's laying into, eh?