Case Study # 2 (Autonomy Part 2) – Dax’s Story
Please watch the movie clip of Dax Cowart referenced here below. You may also view in substitute for answering the questions in the assignment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ZnFJGmoq8
PLEASE NOTE – video may contain images that a viewer might find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
You are also welcomed to watch/ listen which is an update of Dax which is found here:
https://vimeo.com/64585949
Maintenance of patient autonomy is one of the major ethical focuses of physicians. Therefore, a second discussion was also held that focused primarily on patient autonomy. This discussion also took a superficial look at euthanasia. For this discussion, a 58 minute video, Dax’s Case (produced by Unicorn Media, for Concern for Dying ; produced by Donald Pasquella, Keith Burton ; directed by Donald Pasquella New York : Filmakers Library, c1984) was used. The video tells the story of Dax Cowart, a man who was severely burned by an accidental propane explosion. The burns disabled Dax, and the physicians forced treatment on him. Though he survived the treatment, he still argues that he should have been allowed to refuse it so that he could die. The video is very useful; however, the videos of Dax’s burn treatments are very graphic and the video should be reviewed before it is shown to a group of students.
Questions: