Suppose you woke up one day and found yourself attached by tubes to another person, and then you are told that this other person will die if you disconnect the tubes.  You, however, will not be injured.  Supposed that at no point did you agree to have this other person tethered to you.

Suppose this other person is in a wheel chair.  You can get around, but it obviously severely limits your movements.

Do you, as an autonomous human being with your own rights, have the right to disconnect the tubes, therefore causing the other person to die?

What if it was just for an hour?

What if it was for a month?

What about 9 months?

What if the connection was threatening your own health?  What if the connection could potentially kill you?

What if this connection could cost you your job?  Your family?  Your friends?

What if you had to expend major financial expenses to keep this other person alive, to the point that it would bankrupt you?

And before you say anything, I am aware that this is not an exact parallel for abortion.  I have my own thoughts on this, but I’m hoping to get some reasonable discussion on it.

~ Steve