ABSTRACT
The language of non-patient-regarding grounds poses a problem. It abstracts the ethical moral language of decision making. In the father’s ethical response to his child’s face lies a profound sense of responsibility. Moral issues are resolved by arguing from a certain moral perspective the value of the call of the moral predicament or situation that originates within the person. While healthcare professionals are poised to evaluate physiological futility, value judgments of futility surely need to be commensurate to nuanced yet also holistic perspectives of a child's best interest. Situations of indecision are likely to become more common as the medical landscape changes, incorporating advanced technologies, often in the context of differing or conflicting cultural values, and so forth. Situations of indecision emphasize the need for a collaborative or even at times delegated decision making, whereby the professional assumes a greater role.
