The Philosophy Department at Frostburg State University will present “Persistent Vegetative State, Prospective Thinking and Advance Directives,” the first Philosophical Forum of the new semester, on Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Atkinson Room, Lane University Center 201.

The lecture will be presented by Thomas A. Mappes, Professor of Philosophy. He will ask the question: How would you want to be treated if in a comatose state? Persistent vegetative state (PVS)—much discussed due to the high-profile case of Terry Schiavo—will be reviewed, focusing on concerns related to diagnosis and possible outcomes of the state. Mappes will explore the impact of a landmark document, the 1994 Multi-Society Task Force Report, and talk about the medical aspects of PVS. He will also consider how the existence of uncertainties about PVS in the medical field today may affect the likelihood of PVS remaining a problem in the future.