suppose a man has a car accident. he is hurt badly and is unconscious;that is, he can't think, speak, or hear. his family takes him to the hospital. the doctors tell the family that his brain is dead.a machine can make him breathe.
now the patient's family must answer some difficult questions. should they think he is dead? should they ask the doctors to use the machine to make him breathe? sometimes machines can make an unconscious person breathe for years.however,if his brain is dead, he will never think, speak, or hear again. then, should his family ask the doctors not to use the machine and let him die?someone who is unconscious can't say he wants to die.can his family say this for him? some people think this is a good idea. some think otherwise.
many people are hurt when machines keep a person alive. the unconscious person doesn't know this. machines only make the family and friends hurt longer.