What are some current statistics on the number and kind of organs that are transplanted in the U.S.?
Are the rules/practices different outside the U.S.?
Metaphysically, have you become a different person if you have had an organ transplant (because you have some "foreign" part in you)? Does one organ change you? Does more than one?
Organ transplants save thousands of lives, but do the new organs become part of you or are you now composed of 2 people?
ReplyDeleteAlex, I tend to think organs become a part of you. I look at this from the scientific view where the body must make the organ part of the body or it rejects the transplant. While the organ does include the DNA of another person, I wouldn't say you become composed of another person exactly.
DeleteI also think it is how you define the term person. I like to think of a person in the more mental and spiritual sense. Therefore, if some receives a new heart, kidney, etc. I believe they still remain the same person. Yes, like Meghan said the DNA may be from two people; however, I don't think that DNA defines you as a person. People get each other's DNA on them all the time (Fingerprints, loose hair, sex, etc.) but the integrity of that person is not compromised.
DeleteI don't think having an organ from another body makes you a different person. You still live the same life you've always lived, no matter what new organ you may have. I believe this is similar to putting a new part in a car; the car is still the same car, it just has a new part that helps it run.
ReplyDeleteHere is a reliable link regarding numbers of organ donations in the US: http://organdonor.gov/about/data.html
ReplyDeleteIt is important to note that in 2013, 121,272 people were in need of organ transplants, and only 28,954 were done. Also, there were only 14,257 donors. To my understanding, that means most of the donors gave up more than one organ to the cause, which is just awesomely selfless to me. However, there were still so many people that may or may not be still waiting for their needed organs. I wonder how many are still living, and how many were not able to make it without a transplant.
Regarding the metaphysics of organ transplantation, I believe that a person lives on as their own self after receiving an organ from someone else. The organ was a generous gift, and one can consider their donor as a small part of themselves now. However, the recipient retains their identity.
I have always looked at this topic from a very selfless point of view. Unless you have a religious reason for not donating I have a hard time conceptualizing why one wouldn't. It is in my opinion our duty to help others, and there is no better way than to help prolong ones life after ours has ended. Working in the hospital I have seen many cases where people are in dire need of organs, and because of this I will certainly donate
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