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

Aristotle

Aristotle teaches that some of what constitutes happiness comes from good luck, although much of it comes from hard work, the practice of virtue and the deliberate improvement of character.  What do you think about happiness?  Is Aristotle right?  Is it tied to character?  Relatedly, Aristotle says that you can't really be happy if you are too poor or too disabled, without enough to eat or friends to share your life with.  What do you say about that?

Obituaries

Researcher on Family Time Dies

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/18/us/suzanne-bianchi-61-who-analyzed-family-time-dies.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131118

 

Free Diver Dies at Competition

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/18/sports/deep-water-diver-from-brooklyn-dies-after-trying-for-a-record.html?ref=nyregion&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131118

John Tavener Dies at 69, Composer with Eye on God

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/13/arts/music/john-tavener-dies-at-69-composer-with-eye-on-god.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131113

William Pollack Dies at 87, His Vaccine Saved Infants

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/13/us/william-pollack-dies-at-87-his-vaccine-saved-infants.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131113

Leornard Herzenberg: Immunologist Who Revolutionized Research Dies at 81

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/us/leonard-herzenberg-immunologist-who-revolutionized-research-dies-at-81.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131111

 

Arthur Danto: Philosopher of Art is Dead at 89
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/arts/design/arthur-c-danto-a-philosopher-of-art-is-dead-at-89.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131028

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/us/robinson-risner-ace-fighter-pilot-dies-at-88.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131028

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/arts/music/lou-reed-dies-at-71.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131028&_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/obituaries/