Bayne And Levy Summary
Should doctors be able to amputate healthy limbs if patients request these operations? This is the golden question that is being discussed in Bayne and Levy’s article. A person must decide if this procedure would be rational. Many critics falsely critique the claims of the people until they understand the facts. First, we must argue the causes of this possible psychological condition of wanting to be amputated. Bayne and Levy discusses three different origins for this plausible feeling of wanting to be amputated: sexual attraction to amputees or being a amputee, Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) where patients fail to conform to their experience in their body, and BDD where one has delusional thoughts that extend to their body
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parts. However, as we dissect the three different accounts of origin of desire none are as plausible or comprehensive as the BIID theory. I argue that the patients suffering from the BIID have rationality. They are rational to want the surgery, so the surgeons should be able to perform it. Rationality is defined in this situation by the person being operated on having reasonable control over them self and showing that the surgery will improve their life. Also, a rational decision is one that has been analyzed in order to come up with facts to support it. The rationality of their descion must create a positive outcome possibility.
The BIID disability theory claims that the disability is caused by a mismatch between their limbs and self-representation of their limb.
The Bayne and Levy article article claims that if the desire of the amputation is long-standing, the surgery will prevent many patients from injuring or killing themselves. Bayne and Levy suggest that 63 percent of people in their study wanted amputation to restore their body to their true identity declaring,” “I feel like an amputee with natural prostheses – they’re my legs, but I want to get rid of them – they don’t fit my body image”. Furthermore, this can be compared to most cosmetic and sex reassignment surgeries. Society allows women to reduce or increase the size of their breast because the women dont feel as if the breast fit their image. This process is done with no replication though. Evermore, society allows nose, lips, and butt surgery in order to “improve” ones image of their self’s. Also, society accepts doctors to rationally change a person’s gender that they don’t feel as if they fit. If gender change and cosmetic surgery is rational, then amputation of one’s limbs for a better life is rational. All the procedures are life changing but the people have it in their mind that it will be better for them. Furthermore, the statistics show that a large study of people who got their limbs removed agreed that they were much happier now. Bayne and Levy state,” Both of Robert Smith’s patients were reported as having been very happy with their operations, and the nine subjects in First’s study who had had an amputation also expressed satisfaction with the
results.”(Pg.11).
A person’s rationality comes from the idea that they are comfortable with their identity. Facts prove rationality and the facts prove that amputation by choice is a rational act.
parts. However, as we dissect the three different accounts of origin of desire none are as plausible or comprehensive as the BIID theory. I argue that the patients suffering from the BIID have rationality. They are rational to want the surgery, so the surgeons should be able to perform it. Rationality is defined in this situation by the person being operated on having reasonable control over them self and showing that the surgery will improve their life. Also, a rational decision is one that has been analyzed in order to come up with facts to support it. The rationality of their descion must create a positive outcome possibility.
The BIID disability theory claims that the disability is caused by a mismatch between their limbs and self-representation of their limb.
The Bayne and Levy article article claims that if the desire of the amputation is long-standing, the surgery will prevent many patients from injuring or killing themselves. Bayne and Levy suggest that 63 percent of people in their study wanted amputation to restore their body to their true identity declaring,” “I feel like an amputee with natural prostheses – they’re my legs, but I want to get rid of them – they don’t fit my body image”. Furthermore, this can be compared to most cosmetic and sex reassignment surgeries. Society allows women to reduce or increase the size of their breast because the women dont feel as if the breast fit their image. This process is done with no replication though. Evermore, society allows nose, lips, and butt surgery in order to “improve” ones image of their self’s. Also, society accepts doctors to rationally change a person’s gender that they don’t feel as if they fit. If gender change and cosmetic surgery is rational, then amputation of one’s limbs for a better life is rational. All the procedures are life changing but the people have it in their mind that it will be better for them. Furthermore, the statistics show that a large study of people who got their limbs removed agreed that they were much happier now. Bayne and Levy state,” Both of Robert Smith’s patients were reported as having been very happy with their operations, and the nine subjects in First’s study who had had an amputation also expressed satisfaction with the
results.”(Pg.11).
A person’s rationality comes from the idea that they are comfortable with their identity. Facts prove rationality and the facts prove that amputation by choice is a rational act.