The potential benefit to humanity is incalculable and creates a moral imperative. Saving millions of lives in the present and future constitutes a compelling public interest that must override the private sensitivities of one man regarding an ancestor dead for over 500 years. The needs of the many living outweigh the sanctity of the one dead.
The Cure in the Crypt
A cure for a plague is discovered in the remains of a 500-year-old noblewoman, pitting the sanctity of the dead against the hope of saving millions.
Chapter I: The Account
The Facts
1
Scientists discovered a cure for major diseases in the 500-year-old remains of a noblewoman.
2
Developing the cure requires a partial autopsy on her perfectly preserved body.
3
Her last living descendant refuses permission, citing his duty to protect her grave from desecration.
4
The law is ambiguous, pitting public health against the dignity of the dead.
The Full Account
In a sealed family crypt lies the near-perfectly preserved body of Baroness Ottilia von Steiner, who died in 1488. Her last living descendant, Herr Friedrich Bauer, recently permitted the Institute for Genetic Medicine to take a minor tissue sample for a historical study. The results were staggering: the Baroness possessed a unique genetic mutation, a potential key to curing numerous modern diseases, including some cancers. The Institute is certain that a partial autopsy and full genome sequencing could unlock a cure, representing the most promising medical lead in a century. They have petitioned the court for authority to proceed, but Herr Bauer, citing deeply held traditional and religious beliefs, has refused all further cooperation and barred access to the crypt.
Chapter II: The Arguments
Accuser:
The Institute for Genetic Medicine
Defendant:
Herr Friedrich Bauer, Descendant
My ancestor is not a resource to be strip-mined for a potential cure. She is a human being, entrusted to my care. I have a sacred duty, backed by property rights and the principle of "post-mortem dignity," to protect her grave from desecration. What is the point of saving lives if we must sacrifice our fundamental respect for human dignity to do so? To violate her final resting place is to treat a human soul as mere raw material.
Chapter III: Your Deliberation
Should the Institute be granted authority to research the Baroness's remains for the public good, or should the descendant's right to protect his ancestor's grave be upheld?
0 deliberating
46 judged