Terri Schiavo Question

[John Que]

"Carey Gregory" <tiredofspam123 at comcast.net> wrote in message
news:ckdc41l84th1hod9n33ii6do0gka3cjsm5 at 4ax.com...
> Steven O. <null at null.com> wrote:
>
> >First of all, according to the best available public evidence, is
> >Terri Schiavo's cerebral cortex completely, totally liquified, or has
> >there instead been a major loss of cortical tissue but with some
> >tissue remaining.
>
> Not totally, but a significant portion is gone now and replaced with CSF.
>
> >Second -- would it be possible for oxygen deprivation to cause loss of
> >the cerebral cortext, but for the lower brain centers to remain more
> >or less intact?  That is, can the cerebellum, limbic system, and
> >mid-brain remain pretty much functional and alive?
>
> Yes.
>
> >And, if yes, is there any evidence as to how much of Terri Schiavo's
> >lower brain centers remain active?
>
> She breathes and regulates blood pressure and pulse, so her lower brain is
> clearly functioning.
>
> >Finally -- and here is the real kicker -- if the cerebral cortex is
> >gone, but the other brain centers remain alive, is there any
> >possibility that some kind of primitive experience continues, even
> >with all cortical-based thinking gone?
>
> Well, no way to know with certainty, of course, but ask someone who's been
> under anesthesia if they had a primitive experience.  Even before amnesia
> agents, the answer would have been no.  So even if they did experience
> something primitive, it appears to be irrelevant to life as we know it.
>
> >My understanding is that some lower animals have no cortical brain at
> >all, yet one would assume they still have some kind of experience or
> >awareness.  So, I am wondering if that could be the case for TS.
>
> She is responsive to physical stimuli, but so is an earthworm.  Does an
> earthworm know it is an earthworm?  Does it have thoughts and cares and
> desires?  Well, I don't think so, but that's un-provable.  What I do know
is
> we would question the value of heroic surgical methods for keeping one
> alive.
>

Yes, I agree. Her plug should have been pulled years ago perhaps
a couple of week in as best I can tell.