my other thread inspired me to start it .l personally dont want to donate my body to science because İ dont .dont expect to hear reasonable explanations from me because it is more sensitive part of donation in my opinion .
but l appreciate anyone who decides to do it too.
as a side note İ know some unbelievers want neither to be buried nor to be creamated and they decide to donate their body to medical science.
l would like to hear their ideas about it.
I have considered it.
Why would I do it?
because I know how important research is, and it is a way of continuing to contribute to knowledge.
because I have been to a few funerals, and have had to organize a few. My daughter will probably have to arrange my funeral, and I have found these extremely stressful to organize, at a time when you are really not feeling up to it. Friends whose loved ones have had prepaid funerals have indicated that it isn't a lot different even when it has been pre planned.
I talked to my daughter and we have thought about other options - like having a memorial/dinner further down the track at which people can share memories. She thinks she would be OK with that. Funerals can be times when there can be family arguments as well. For my funeral this may not be an issue - but I have seen siblings argue over how it should be done (even when they belong to the same church).
reasons against
they have strict conditions for accepting suitable cadavers - it has to be within a relatively short time of death. This may be too soon if people need to say "goodbye"
Basically ... it may be my body, but funerals are really held for the living, not for the dead.
they are an opportunity for the living to formally let go. Maybe its not respecting the emotional needs of those left behind to donate your body.
I am also not sure it would be different for me if I were a believer .... I have been to enough crypts etc to know that if body and soul ever do unite again, God's got his work cut out reconstructing the dead as it is - so I doubt that my body being donated to science would be much of an impediment.