The Survival Lottery John Harris Analysis

“The Survival Lottery” by John Harris was an article published in 1975. In the article he suggests an implementation of a mandatory donor lottery that places all people that are in good health and above a designated target age. He begins by explaining the criteria for the lottery scheme. In his ideal world for this to be able to work, doctors have perfected procedures for organ transplants. However, the medical field haven’t quite been able to grow organs from stem cells yet. Mr. Harris starts his background information with an example to support with explaining his viewpoints. He creates two hypothetical patients Y and Z who are not at fault for their situations. Both will die eventually unless given new organs, Y he needs a heart transplant, and Z needs a lungs transplant. Their doctors tell them that there is no available supply of hearts or lungs for the patients. The two patients are distraught about the news, instead of accepting their imminent death, the patients come up with alternate solution. Patients Y and Z argue why not kill a random person to use their organs for Y and Z to live. They continue by saying after all they didn’t deserve their terminal prognosis because the patients did nothing to contribute to their …show more content…
In other words, the people placed in the lottery would have anxious feelings, wondering when their number is to be called. The wariness waking up every day thinking this could be the last day I am alive. The simple response in “The Survival Lottery” is that regardless of whether this system is implemented or not, people are always living in the unknown every day. The unknown of death that could come by driving, eating a blow fish or walking across the road. If anything with the new system it would be a very slim chance of death by donation, almost like the chances of winning the lottery in this day and age. ??? adding anything