Attitudes to life extension via genetic engineering

[Patrick O'Neil]

On 24 Feb 1995, Brian Rauchfuss - PCD wrote:
> 
> If significant life-extension is available but is denied, is this really 
> different from mass-murder?  Would it not be better, at least to offer
> people the choice between reproduction and life-extension (note that 2 or
> less children per couple does not create an exponential population problem).

No it would not be murder.  No one has a "right" to life extension any 
more than they have a right to transplant organs.  When doctors withold 
treatment for a patient for varied or sundry reasons, it is cannot be 
considered murder.  Since when did you or I have an inalienable right to 
chemotherapy.  You cannot take a hospital or doctor to court for murder 
if you are not given such a treatment.  The contrary view would then be 
that anyone who didn't choose to have artificial life-extension treatment 
is comitting suicide, which is ridiculous.  I'm certain some repellent 
lawyer(s) would LOVE to establish all kinds of goofy laws and precedents 
so that they can sue even more, but their opinions and desires are 
irrelevant and better ignored...they ARE lawyers, afterall.