ACCORDING TO YOUR WORLDVIEW, WHTA VALUE DOES A HUMAN PERSON HAVE? PHI 413
ACCORDING TO YOUR WORLDVIEW, WHTA VALUE DOES A HUMAN PERSON HAVE? PHI 413
According to your worldview, what value does a human person have? How does your position affect your stance on controversial bioethical issues, such as abortion, designer babies, and stem cell research?
Replies
Along with this week’s topic…the COVID-19 virus has presented us with some very significant challenges. The demographic at high risk appears to be the elderly. How does what you’ve learned this week about Imago Dei and the sanctity of life inform your attitude toward the care of the elderly?
· Replies
I think with COVID and even other diseases such as the flu that are higher risk to elderly, there are many people out there who are very compassionate towards the elderly population and want to do everything to protect them. Unfortunately, we have also seen many people who are not, my mind goes mostly to anti-vaxxers. These people seem willing to sacrifice older generations for the sake of “personal choice” or even conspiracy theories surrounding the vaccine. I do think whether or not you get the vaccine should still be up to personal choice, employers and others shouldn’t be forcing people to get vaccinated under threat of losing their job, but people still should consider who they are affecting by not accepting the vaccine. Their co-worker’s children who are too young for the vaccine, their friend who is undergoing chemotherapy, or their grandparent who is at high risk of dying from the disease even with a vaccine. Every one of those lives is important, simply because they are God’s creations and He loves them all more than we can understand, and it is our job to treat every life as sacred and protect them to the best of our ability.
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This question hits close to home as my boyfriend and I are currently at home quarantined with the COVID-19 virus. I am also an emergency room nurse and prior to me being in quarantine for COVID-19 virus, I took care of many elderly individual with the COVID-19 virus. With learning about Imago Dei, I do not think it will change my care any differently because I treated my patients with dignity and respect prior to knowing what this term was (White, 2020). It is nice now knowing an official definition for my views though and if I ever start to have a weak point and start to sway from these views, I will remember Imago Dei.
References
White, N. (2020). Practicing dignity: An introduction to Christian values and decision making in health care. Grand Canyon University. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/phi413v/practicing-dignity-an-introduction-to-christian-values-and-decision-making-in-health-care/v1.1/#/chapter/2
· Kimberly Martin
replied toSteven Smartt
Jan 9, 2022, 6:49 PM
· Replies to Steven Smartt
Hi Dr Smartt,
I believe that my attitude toward to the care of the elderly is a dignified, respectful and compassionate approach. I do not hesitate to care for the Covid positive patients even though I have Lupus and at times take medications that cause me to be even more immunocompromised. I protect myself with the proper personal protective equipment and while caring for them, I do not treat them in a manner that would let them think I am fearful or unhappy to be their nurse. I understand the elderly are at significant risk to succumb to Covid, That is why I did not plan a visit with my elderly mother who was in a nursing home until I was fully vaccinated and the surge of Covid infections was on the decrease. Every life is important whether it be that of a newborn who has just begun their life or the elderly who have lived long lives, every human, every life deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, care and respect.
· Dennise De Pascale
replied toSteven Smartt
Jan 9, 2022, 9:05 PM
- Replies to Steven Smartt
Hi Dr. Smartt, I agree with you that COVID-19 virus has been challenging. This virus has affected many people, and the elderly has been one of the high-risk group populations. As a Christian, I belief in the concept that God created every human in the image of God; consequently, all human beings are worth the same. When providing care as a nurse during this time of COVID-19, I see a human being regardless of race, age, sex, or educational level, I provide care to the needed. However, an elder person is more vulnerable, and at higher risk for other medical conditions and It makes me sad that many people don’t take the proper precautions to protect this population. I have teenage kids, and I always tell them they need to take the precautions necessary to prevent them from getting COVID-19 to protect my parents and grandmother.
Reference:
White, Nathan H. (2020). God, humanity, and human dignity. In Grand Canyon University [GCU]. Practicing Dignity: An introduction to Christian values and decision making in healthcare. (ch.2). https://lc.gcumedia.com/phi413v/practicing-dignity-an-introduction-to-christian-values-and-decision-making-in-health-care/v1.1/#/chapter/2
