A Moorean argument for the full moral status of those with profound intellectual disability

This paper is about the moral status of those human beings with profound intellectual disabilities (PIDs). We hold the common sense view that they have equal status to 'normal' human beings, and a higher status than any non-human animal. We start with an admission, however: we don’t know how to give a fully satisfying theoretical account of the grounds of moral status that explains this view. And in fact, not only do we not know how to give such an account, but the most satisfying account of moral status that we know (which we call 'the standard account') entails that our view is false. It entails that those with PIDs have a lower status than ordinary human beings and an equal status to non-human animals. Now, in this paper, we do absolutely nothing to try to show where the standard account goes wrong, and we do absolutely nothing to resolve the difficulties we see in developing an alternative account that supports our view. Indeed, we do not give any argument against the standard account or in favour of our own view. Instead, we raise the following question: in order to be justified in continuing to hold our view, are we obliged to give such an account? Our answer will be that we are not. In section 1 we emphasise just how common our view is, and how deeply held it is, before outlining the difficulties surrounding giving a theoretical account that justifies it. After introducing the Moorean strategy in section 2, in section 3 we argue that despite these difficulties, and despite the fact that we do not know how to overcome them, it is not the case that we ought to abandon our view. The Moorean strategy we employ is drawn from a common interpretation of G. E. Moore's famous proof of the external world (due to William Lycan). Our argument is that the strategy that Lycan's Moore applies in that case can be successfully applied in the case of our view too

Electromagnetic energy sink

The ideal black body fully absorbs all incident rays, that is, all propagating waves created by arbitrary sources. A known idealized realization of the black body is the perfectly matched layer (PML), widely used in numerical electromagnetics. However, ideal black bodies and PMLs do not interact with evanescent fields that exists near any finite-size source, and the energy stored in these fields cannot be harvested. Here, we introduce the concept of the ideal conjugate matched layer (CML), which fully absorbs the energy of both propagating and evanescent fields of sources acting as an ideal sink for electromagnetic energy. Conjugate matched absorbers have exciting application potentials, as resonant attractors of electromagnetic energy into the absorber volume. We derive the conditions on the constitutive parameters of media which can serve as CML materials, numerically study the performance of planar and cylindrical CML and discuss possible realizations of such materials as metal-dielectric composite

Endorectal magnetic resonance imaging of prostatic cancer: comparison between fat-suppressed T2-weighted fast spin echo and three-dimensional dual-echo, steady-state sequences

Peer reviewe

Moral wrongs, disadvantages, and disability: a critique of critical disability studies

Critical disability studies (CDS) has emerged as an approach to the study of disability over the last decade or so and has sought to present a challenge to the predominantly materialist line found in the more conventional disability studies approaches. In much the same way that the original development of the social model resulted in a necessary correction to the overly individualized accounts of disability that prevailed in much of the interpretive accounts which then dominated medical sociology, so too has CDS challenged the materialist line of disability studies. In this paper we review the ideas behind this development and analyse and critique some of its key ideas. The paper starts with a brief overview of the main theorists and approaches contained within CDS and then moves on to normative issues; namely, to the ethical and political applicability of CDS

Dementia as a disability: Implications for ethics, policy and practice. A Discussion Paper.

noPeople experience dementia in different ways, not just in terms of the type and severity of symptoms, but also in terms of how they react to and manage living with dementia. Increasingly, people with dementia are expressing a desire to get on with their everyday lives. They want to avoid being defined solely in relation to dementia and to continue to be considered as valued members of society. This is particularly important as the term dementia often has negative connotations. It is widely considered as a stigma. Neurological impairment may interfere with people’s ability to get on with their lives, as may differences in coping skills, financial resources, the emotional and psychological impact of dementia, and access to timely and good quality support. Reactions of relatives, friends and fellow citizens are also important, as well as society’s response to dementia. This was highlighted by Kitwood in the 1990s when he outlined what came to be known as the biopsychosocial model of dementia . There are also differences at the level of society, reflected in practices, attitudes and structures. These may, on the surface, seem fair or neutral (i.e. “that’s just the way it is”). In many cases, however, they reflect a lack of consideration and failure to act in a responsible, ethical and even legal way towards people with dementia... In this report, we focus on the possible implications for ethics, policy and practice of raising awareness about the potential of framing dementia as a potential disability

Practice of ALARA in the pediatric interventional suite

As interventional procedures have become progressively more sophisticated and lengthy, the potential for high patient radiation dose has increased. Staff exposure arises from patient scatter, so steps to minimize patient dose will in turn reduce operator and staff dose. The practice of ALARA in an interventional radiology (IR) suite, therefore, requires careful attention to technical detail in order to reduce patient dose. The choice of imaging modality should minimize radiation when and where possible. In this paper practical steps are outlined to reduce patient dose. Further details are included that specifically reduce operator exposure. Challenges unique to pediatric intervention are reviewed. Reference is made to experience from modern pediatric interventional suites. Given the potential for high exposures, the practice of ALARA is a team responsibility. Various measures are outlined for consideration when implementing a quality assurance (QA) program for an IR service

Diversity and uniformity in genetic responsibility: moral attitudes of patients, relatives and lay people in Germany and Israel

The professional and institutional responsibility for handling genetic knowledge is well discussed; less attention has been paid to how lay people and particularly people who are affected by genetic diseases perceive and frame such responsibilities. In this exploratory study we qualitatively examine the attitudes of lay people, patients and relatives of patients in Germany and Israel towards genetic testing. These attitudes are further examined in the national context of Germany and Israel, which represent opposite regulatory approaches and bioethical debates concerning genetic testing. Three major themes of responsibility emerged from the inter-group and cross-cultural comparison: self-responsibility, responsibility for kin, and responsibility of society towards its members. National contrast was apparent in the moral reasoning of lay respondents concerning, for example, the right not to know versus the duty to know (self-responsibility) and the moral conflict concerning informing kin versus the moral duty to inform (responsibility for kin). Attitudes of respondents affected by genetic diseases were, however, rather similar in both countries. We conclude by discussing how moral discourses of responsibility are embedded within cultural (national, religious) as well as phenomenological (being affected) narratives, and the role of public engagement in bioethical discourse