Acknowledging that the death penalty is such a sensitive subject, I do not want to sway on the subject of it, knowing that there are too many gray areas involved. I will stick to the subject at hand. The issue that pertains to the statement "...A law that asks doctors to make people well so that the government can kill them is an absurd law..." (Critical Thinking p. 82) is, I believe, as follows: Is it okay to administer drugs to a felon on death row to make him "sane enough to execute". First, I have to admit that I do not know enough about the death penalty to have acquired a strong opinion that conveys on which way I pull on the subject. Second, does anyone know how many cases involved an insane prisoner awaiting death row? I am not certain if becoming insane alters the fate of one waiting the death penalty. However, the criminal was sane enough to prosecute and sentence to the death penalty, so wouldn't the sentence hold regardless?
So sticking to only the issue given for this Blog, my opinion is against the drugs. Again, not knowing if being insane alters the outcome of the death penalty, I read that exurpt as the goverment wanting to give the prisoner drugs to become momentarily sane (or however long it will last) in order for that prisoner to know his reality. It's not bad enough that we're killing him, we want that person well enough to make certain that he comprehends what is going on. That he knows he will be going to die in ten minutes. (As if he did not perseverate on the subject during the years prior) I wonder, what is the government's agrument that an incoherent inmate must be administered drugs? Do they actually say that is imperative for the inmate to acknoweldge the fact that he is dying? Perhaps they are hoping that the inmate will beg for his life...yes, that would be fabulous wouldn't it? That way, we could reap ALL the benefits of his death. Although, I know that if i was involved in the criminal's case, (say I was the mother of a victim) then perhaps my decision would be different. I just hope that I would not become so biased as too make sure that I would deem it necessary that a possible incoherent man would need any drugs possible to realize his last moments. It is a ridiculous thing, to give an inmate medication for the sole purpose that he will comprehend his death. And if that is not the case, then what about considering the money that goes into administering these drugs? Possibly, a waste of the tax payer's money.