Turning to the practical aspects of this, if the Pope is kept alive by machines and medical technology, then what? Again, the Schiavo case is instructive. Terri Schiavo has been kept alive for fifteen years, and while she was younger and stronger than the Pope is, he would almost certainly have better medical care, and there's no reason to think he couldn't live for years, perhaps indefinitely. I gather that the Pope isn't too involved in the day-to-day operations of the church, but surely a years-long incapacity would cause some problems. In theory, he could outlive a lot of the cardinals who would vote on his replacement. Others more in tune with Vatican goings-on are more able to opine on the impact of such a scenario, but I'm interested in your thoughts on the possibility. I should hasten to add that I hope John Paul II lives well and long and passes peacefully. But as Terri Schiavo's situation reminds us, we should all consider the possibility that things will turn out otherwise.
For anyone who wonders about the title, as the "schrodinger's dog" joke caption in the Hedda photo album has met with puzzled looks:
Schrodinger's cat is a famous illustration of the principle in quantum theory of superposition, proposed by Erwin Schrodinger in 1935. First, we have a living cat and place it in a thick lead box. At this stage, there is no question that the cat is alive. We then throw in a vial of cyanide and seal the box. We do not know if the cat is alive or if it has broken the cyanide capsule and died. Since we do not know, the cat is both dead and alive, according to quantum law, in a superposition of states. It is only when we break open the box and learn the condition of the cat that the superposition is lost, and the cat becomes one or the other (dead or alive).
BTW - I understand like, zero, about how the math side of this actually works.
BTW2: The photo album in question is a prop with sepia prints of scenery. I volunteered to label them. Let's just say I've an odd sense of humor.
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