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Comment by spodek | Hacker News Reader

I still plan to donate my body to science.

A girlfriend in medical school said she wish she had a cadaver like my body for anatomy class. She said that she and nearly everyone in the class had to cut through inches of fat to get to the organs, also covered in fat. Such bodies may represent today's population better, but she said you could learn better without it.

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> A girlfriend in medical school said she wish she had a cadaver like my body

Such a compliment

plausible cause for divorce

Clearly she intends to dissect GP at her first opportunity. I say get out while you're still intact.

That only increases the odds of being dissected by removing any alternative uses she currently has for the body.

Better gain 100lbs if you think the relationship is going south.

Once they're done using your body, they still need to dispose of the remains. By "giving your body to science" you are avoiding having to make a decision at a personal level, but it doesn't answer the question of the best way to dispose of our deads at a societal level.

At societal level I think medical research should benefit first, and then we can discuss what to do with the actual [socially] useless waste.

Not denying that, just pointing out that it doesn't address the question of disposal, which is what is debated here.

Interesting that you mention that — holding neither strong opinions nor privileged knowledge about the matter, the desire to avoid making a comparatively uninformed decision about the disposition of my body after death "at a personal level" is precisely why I've been a total organ donor since the opportunity first presented itself.

Of note: the Mayo Clinic uses the process mentioned in the article for the final disposition of donated bodies.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/body-donation/biocremation-resoma...

The New York Times had a fascinating article trying to track down the people who ended up being buried in "Potter's Field". One story that stuck with me was of a wealthy, accomplished woman who donated her body to science. Once the New York University School of Medicine was done with her, her remains "now lies with 144 strangers in Trench 359."

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/05/15/nyregion/new-...

This is an incredible article, thanks for sharing.

Oh no! A wealthy anonymous corpse, well that's just beyond the pale.

"So you're saying I do look good in this shirt?"

A girlfriend in medical school said she wish she had a cadaver like my body for anatomy class.

Pre-med have all the best pickup lines.

A complete cadaver does require some organ of humility however.

I'm built like a stick insect and was told the same thing by an admiring biology student. It didn't inflate my ego as far as I know.

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