TOM KIRKMAN, RODBUILDING.ORG BB, MY DECEMBER 1,2003 POST, ETHICS

"Wolfgang" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
SNIP
I am an inveterate reader. Some, among those who know me well, go so far
as
to say a compulsive, or obsessive reader. There are very few things that
I
have not read something about. There are very few questions that I have
not
seen addressed at one time or another, however well or poorly. And yet,
there is one nagging question that I have never seen, or heard, anyone
deal
with. I have always wondered.....do people who are severely brain damaged
know that they are .......well, severely brain damaged?


Well?


Wolfgang


Purely from personal experience, I would say that most do not. In most
cases they are incapable of making sensible comparisons. This also rather
depends on the damage of course. I know a number of people who suffered from
oxygen deprivation at birth. This resulted in various degrees of brain
damage, causing retardation, and in a number of cases, also loss of sensory
and motor functions, and also in a number of cases, actual physical damage
such as crippled hands, arms, etc.

For the most part, these people think they are normal. Those with physical
disabilities notice that they can not do a lot of things which other people
do, but at least some of them are apparently able to rationalise this to
themselves to some degree, although people with these physical disabilities
are usually far more "discontent", than those with purely mental problems.

Interesting to note also, that one is often quite unable to even discuss
some of these things rationally with those involved, as the "rational" part
of their consciousness is also invariably damaged. This often leads to them
wanting or expecting things far beyond their capabilities, or possibilities.
They of course do not see it so.

Apparently, many are quite simply unable to perceive that they are not
"normal". This is a most peculiar situation, and makes it very difficult to
work with such people, as "normal" argument, discussion, etc. is simply not
possible.

One gentleman I know quite well, who also works with such cases, advanced
the theory that there are perhaps similarities with people who are blind
from birth. They can not know what they can not see, and as a consequence,
not seeing is quite "normal" for them.

TL
MC