PHIL 227
Death and Dying
Last Offered Fall 2007
Division II Writing Skills
This course is not offered in the current catalog

Class Details

In this course we will examine traditional philosophical approaches to understanding death and related concepts, with a special focus on the ethical concerns surrounding death and care for the dying. We will begin with questions about how to define death, as well as reflections on its meaning and function in human life. We will move on to examine ethical issues of truth-telling with terminally ill patients and their families, decisions to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatments, the care of seriously ill newborns, physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia, and research efforts to extend the human life-span. In addition to key concepts of death, dying, and terminal illness, we will develop and refine notions of medical futility, paternalism and autonomy, particularly within the context of advance directives and surrogate decision making.
The Class: Format: lecture/discussion
Limit: 19
Expected: 19
Class#: 1055
Grading: yes pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: active participation in class discussions, two mid-length papers (7-10 pages), and weekly short writing assignments (2 pages); possible experiential learning component
Prerequisites: none
Distributions: Division II Writing Skills
Attributes: PHLH Bioethics + Interpretations of Health

Class Grid

Updated 11:10 am

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