The proverbial lifeboat is a stock hypothetical in ethics. Given limited food and freshwater to go around, should we be altruistic when altruism is a threat to our own survival?
Christopher Hitchens rose to notoriety as a moralist. He wrote a book assailing the character of Mother Teresa. In the same vein he assailed Henry Kissinger and Jerry Falwell–among others. And his book on god is not Great is a pretext for him to vent his indignation at all things religious.
Recently, Hitchens has been receiving experimental therapy for cancer. Of course, many other cancer patients could potentially benefit from the same experimental therapy. Take a teenager with cancer.
So why does Hitchens make the cut while others do not? Because he’s a celebrity. Fame and favoritism go together.
He’s in the same boat as other cancer patients, but he gets special treatment. In effect, Hitchens is throwing other passengers overboard. After all, when he was singled out for preferential treatment, Hitchens could always say, “I appreciate the offer, but I’m 62. I indulged in high-risk behavior. I lost the bet. I’m wealthy. If I die, my dependents will be well-provided for. Why don’t you take the case of that teenager with cancer instead?”
That is a devastating comment if Hitchens did in fact receive treatment over someone else.
ReplyDeleteDo we know for a fact that he did?
Interesting that our preacher today preached from Acts 27-28, both chapters all the way through, and did a wonderful job explaining this incredible ship-wreck. No lifeboats here, but every person did survive because of God's providential grace.
ReplyDeleteHitchings is quite the peculiar bloke isn't he. I wonder if I had cancer if I wouldn't rather simply let it take my life, then to go through the overwhelming ordeal of treatment? I hope I don't have to, but you never know. Next doctor visit could be the time I hear the "C" word.
A friend of mine in church today was full of joy and yet he is dying from cancer. It's not any fun for him, but it's what it is.
May our Lord open Christopher's heart and mind to His perfect truth of Christ's death and resurrection. Amen.
You may well be right to criticize Hitchens' ethics. However, I'm curious as to whether you mean simply to compare Hitchens' life in ethical terms to that of a teenager's. I mean, you weren't offended enough to mention his criticisms of religion besides those of Christianity. So I'm wondering how you would square this standard ethical question with eschatology?
ReplyDeleteYes Christopher Hitchens is receiving experimental treatment for his esophageal cancer. He is not receiving it at the expense of others. the key word here is "Experimental" perhaps if the author of this disgusting comment had the slightest understanding of how experimental treatments WORK it would have come across as other than gloating over the illness of another.
ReplyDeleteAs an experimental treatment, it is not widely available due to it's UNPROVEN nature. in other words insurance companies and medicare systems wont PAY for it. SO Christopher is paying out of pocket.
The glee evinced by the religious at his illness only reinforces, and exemplifies the close minded pettiness that so characterizes the religious mindset.
As Kthuuluu said, experimental treatments are expensive and unproven, so insurance companies won't cover them.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the biggest reason that Christopher is getting this treatment is because his cancer matches the kind of cancer that is being tested in the experiment. All cancers are different, and his is reasonably uncommon with a very low prognosis. In all likelihood, there wouldn't be many teenagers with this kind of cancer, let alone any that could pay for the study.
So, instead of gloating, instead of celebrating the misfortune of someone you don't like, you should pray to your god that Christopher gets well and "sees the light." When you gloat, when you show your arrogant beliefs and thoughts, you only damage your own cause.
Whoever you are, I want to be nothing like you.
I'm rooting for Christopher in this fight. But either way, keep in mind that he's paying for this experimental treatment. Whatever the outcome his participation will provide valuable data that those scientists will be able to use to improve this treatment. That improvement will help the teenager you are so concerned about.
ReplyDeletei find it rather sad that the atheist is risking what's left of his life to further this research and all you can do is ridicule him...
Having read (and disagreed with) quite a bit of stuff Hitchens has said and written over the last fifteen years I just don't see how his participation in an experimental treatment creates any conundrums. He's going to die anyway but if he agrees to the offer to be a guinea pig in an experimental treatment then one of two things occurs: 1) the treatment works and he lives a little longer or 2) the treatment fails and he has even in his death helped to establish whether or not an experimental treatment should be considered or not. That looks like it fits with the ethics Hitch has argued for in the last twenty years as I understand his writing.
ReplyDeleteKTHUULUU SAID:
ReplyDelete“The glee evinced by the religious at his illness only reinforces, and exemplifies the close minded pettiness that so characterizes the religious mindset. “
HAVENSFIRE SAID:
“So, instead of gloating, instead of celebrating the misfortune of someone you don't like, you should pray to your god that Christopher gets well and ‘sees the light.’ When you gloat, when you show your arrogant beliefs and thoughts, you only damage your own cause.”
That’s a hysterical cliché which infidels trot out when they find themselves unable to reason for their position.
You damage your own cause when you two exemplify and reinforce the irrational emotionalism that so characterizes the irreligious mindset.
HAMBOB SAID:
“But either way, keep in mind that he's paying for this experimental treatment.”
Both he and Francis Collins are well-heeled. Why not sponsor a cancer patient who lacks their financial resources?
“Whatever the outcome his participation will provide valuable data that those scientists will be able to use to improve this treatment. That improvement will help the teenager you are so concerned about.”
If successful, it will benefit the test-patient now, and benefit a future teenage cancer patient down the line. It won’t benefit a current teenage cancer patient who didn’t get the same preferential treatment. For Hitchens to win, someone else must lose. Back to the lifeboat.
IRWT,
ReplyDeleteYour question is obscure. Care to clarify?
HavensFire said...
ReplyDelete"...you should pray to your god that Christopher gets well and 'sees the light.'"
Well, that's a start. What about reinstating Christian prayer in public education?
hambob said...
ReplyDelete"i find it rather sad that the atheist is risking what's left of his life to further this research and all you can do is ridicule him..."
Risking his life? What a silly statement. He has terminal cancer. He's throwing a Hail Mary pass to save his life.
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/06/shark-bait.html
ReplyDelete@Steve Hays - can you please provide your sources that indicate someone was denied participation in the above mentioned clinical trial? Please provide your evidence for making that claim. I actually suspect that you cannot and are merely spouting your bigoted assumptions. I will be surprised if this comment even shows up - prove me wrong.
ReplyDeleteThat's the fallacy of question-framing, where you artificially restrict what counts as an answer.
ReplyDeleteClinical trials merely sample some representative test-subjects from a large pool of potential test-subjects. You seriously think that sample group represents all of the eligible cancer patients in the world?
Try not to raise stupid objections.