The emergence of “personhood” in organ procurement

This article begins and ends with an account of the actions of one person. I propose that such heroics are rooted in an instinctual recognition of “personhood” as it emerges from a particular human “other.” I propose that heroism grounded in the recognition of “personhood” is descriptive of those acts of organ donation that are founded on free will. The moral principles involved in deliberations for organ transplantation can provide a duplication of concerns (recipient and donor). However, the enterprise of organ transplantation increasingly depends on the altruism of free-will donation, the adherence to donor qualifications, and the defense of human rights.