A Fate Worse Than Death? The Well-Being of Patients Diagnosed as Vegetative With Covert Awareness

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Abstract

Patients in the vegetative state are wholly unaware of themselves, or their surroundings. However, a minority of patients diagnosed as vegetative are actually aware. What is the well-being of these patients? How are their lives going, for them? It has been argued that on a reasonable conception of well-being, these patients are faring so poorly that it may be in their best interests not to continue existing. I argue against this claim. Standard conceptions of well-being do not clearly support the conclusion that these patients would be better off having life-sustaining treatment withdrawn, and in fact, it may be possible for these patients to retain a passable level of well-being. I suggest that further research into the subjective experiences of these patients will allow us to better promote their well-being.

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Graham, M. (2017). A Fate Worse Than Death? The Well-Being of Patients Diagnosed as Vegetative With Covert Awareness. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 20(5), 1005–1020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10677-017-9836-8

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