End of course reflections & big questions

You don't have to answer all of these prompts -- try to address 2 or 3.    

What is human nature?

Why is a conception of human nature of important?  What does it do for us?

§  What ought we to do?

§  How ought we live?

§  What kind of society should we have?

§  Who is responsible for what and why?

§  What kind of economic & political system is just?

What have you learned about death & dying that is important to you?  Is surprising to you?

Has this helped you reflect on the meaning of life?

What does life mean?  

Am I living a good life? 

What is death? 

What’s my legacy?

End of course reflections & guests

On the last day of class, December 4th, we'll have a rabbi and a physician as guests.  What questions do you have for them about the meaning of life and how to make sense out of death & dying?  Please listen to this episode of "On Being" - an interview with palliative care specialist, Dr. Ira Byock.  It fits in perfectly with what we've just discussed in class, and sets the groundwork for our last classes, especially 4 December with our Rabbi and Dr. Bernstein.

http://www.onbeing.org/program/contemplating-mortality/11072013/audio?embed=1

Who is the patient? Patient & family obligations

Is the patient only the patient?  How does the family factor in here?  Who counts as family?  Relatedly, what obligations does a patient have to a family?  The family to the patient?  To the community?

Futile Treatment, Duty to Die

What is futile treatment?  Does a patient's desire for treatment -- even what's medically futile -- necessitate that a physician agree to provide that treatment?  Does it matter if the patient can pay or not?

*required* Learning to Die

NYTimes blog about war, disaster, and our human response to the philosophical realization that we all will die
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/learning-how-to-die-in-the-anthropocene/?emc=eta1&_r=0

Your class seems well suited to respond to this essay.  I'm eager to hear your response.

*required* The Diving Bell & the Butterfly

Trailer of the film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G69Zh7YIg8c

Review of the film
http://www.salon.com/2008/02/23/diving_bell_2/

Review of the book, from which the film was made
http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/15/reviews/970615.mallon.html

What was your initial reaction to the film? What do you take away from it?  How do you see it relating to class?

Veteran's Day

Look at https://www.google.com/ today (11/11)

Today's NYTimes op-ed "The Vets We Reject and Ignore"
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/opinion/the-vets-we-reject-and-ignore.html?_r=0&hp=&adxnnl=1&rref=opinion&adxnnlx=1384179798-yTAlc9NSXB9ahyosZvhY/w