I am not so sure about this. What would motivate someone to willingly transform their last moments into a medical experiment, with all the risks of being treated in not-so-nice ways? Almost nobody wants to die in a hospital in the first place. And as part of a medical "experiment", no thanks. Science can fuck off as long as they don't have control over their (small, but existing) emotionally detached workers.

https://youtu.be/ET71mabgEuM

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jbstack 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

It doesn't matter that you aren't sure, and it doesn't even matter if most people agreed with you. Around 60 to 70 million people die every year globally, so if even a tiny fraction of these were willing to take part there would be sufficient numbers for a statistically significant study.

In any case, the fact that a significant number of people opt for organ or body donation suggests they are willing to allow their deaths to be useful to others in some way.

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lynx97 3 days ago | parent [-]

Organ donations pretty much happen after the fact, so that isn't really worth a comparison. There is a reason why Monty Python did their "can we have your liver then" sketch...

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jbstack 3 days ago | parent [-]

It's still a worthwhile comparison because it demonstrates that some people have a desire to turn their death into something meaningful or useful to others. After, all question was "what would motivate someone to willingly transform their last moments into a medical experiment?", and my examples are about motivation.

For some that motivation might be strong enough to be willing to undergo some discomfort (if, indeed there needs to be any discomfort in the first place, which isn't clear). For others, it might not be.

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lynx97 3 days ago | parent [-]

If you say so--for the sake of winning an arguemnt--there you go. You can have your victory, I don't care. The difference is still very fundamental, in a literal sense. Most people opposed to organ donations have religious reasons. I am an (not opted-out) organ donor, and I don't care about that. However, I would violently oppose being subjected to more machines then absolutely necessary while dying.

	▲	jbstack 3 days ago \| parent [-]
		It's not about my victory or yours. It's merely the recognition that people can have all sorts of reasons for doing all sorts of things, and one person can think nothing of doing a thing which the person next to them would never dream of doing. The fact that you personally would be happy to be an organ donor but would draw the line at having an ECG while dying is a perfectly valid position to take. Many people would no doubt take the same position. It's unlikely though that 60-70 million people per year would all react that way. Neither of us has to be right or wrong here (about the difference between the two scenarios), because it's other people's motivations we're talking about.

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eszed 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I'd sign up for this without a second's hesitation. I actually had the thought of "how could I volunteer?" while reading the article. My personal primum mobile is learning - I'm curious (to some extent) about (nearly) everything - and along with that goes an urge to help satisfy other people's curiosity.

I'm curious about my death, too! I've sat with people who are very close to that edge, and I realize it's the last experience I'll ever have, the last lesson I'll ever learn, and find it poignant that I won't be able to tell anyone else about it. Being part of an experiment like this would be... satisfying, somehow. It feels like it would give meaning to my death.

I respect that you have a different point of view, but I hope that helps you understand what would motivate someone to do something like this.

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TheCoelacanth 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Why do people write wills? Why do people leave messages for their loved ones before they die? Why do people donate organs?

Because they care about leaving behind an impact after they die. I don't think it would be for everyone, but there surely be some people who would want to do this.

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vermilingua 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I don’t see any reason why this would have to be an uncomfortable experience. A study with this kind of potential could easily get funding to relocate necessary equipment to a home or chosen location (assuming the participant is able to die outside hospital), and once the equipment is set up and running it’s unlikely that operators would even need to be present.

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sokoloff 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Given I’m going to die anyway, I’d readily do it. How else will we increase our understanding of the brain’s experience of dying? And it seems that even beyond the mere understanding, we might be able to prepare for and manage short-term care of imminent organ donors as just one concrete case.

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BriggyDwiggs42 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I don’t think most people have the perspective that you do.

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exe34 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Science can fuck off

not all of it, presumably, if you want to express your distaste on the magical glass slab and you want pain killers on your way out.

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NaomiLehman 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

"Science can fuck off" - reminded me of Ricky from Trailer Park Boys. I a good way :)