The science and ethics of kidney donation (Dylan Matthews)

Abstract

Dylan Matthews, was featured in episode 177 of Rationally Speaking, a podcast that explores reason and rationality. Matthews discussed his decision to donate a kidney to a stranger and how he evaluated the risks and benefits beforehand. He suggests that Scalar Consequentialism, rather than a pure consequentialist or deontological approach, best explains both his choice to donate and his reasoning behind it. Though he admits there is no obligation to donate a kidney or other organs, he argues that it is better to do it than not to do it, and that society would be better if more people were inclined to do good deeds rather than only abstaining from bad actions. The decision to donate was not driven solely by a desire to help others, as it also brought personal fulfillment and satisfaction to Matthews. He encourages those interested in learning more about kidney donation to reach out to him or Josh Morrison, founder of the nonprofit WaitList Zero, which promotes organ donation. – AI-generated abstract.