ABSTRACT
Exploring the Philosophy of Death and Dying: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives is the first book to offer students the full breadth of philosophical issues that are raised by the end of life. Included are many of the essential voices that have contributed to the philosophy of death and dying throughout history and in contemporary research. The 38 chapters in its nine sections contain classic texts (by authors such as Epicurus, Hume, Nietzsche, and Schopenhauer) and new short argumentative essays, specially commissioned for this volume, by world-leading contemporary experts.
Exploring the Philosophy of Death and Dying introduces students to both theoretical issues (whether we can survive death, whether death is truly bad for us, whether immortality would be desirable, etc.) and urgent practical issues (the ethics of suicide, the value of grief, the appropriate medical criteria for declaring death, etc.) raised by human mortality, enabling instructors to adapt it to a wide array of institutions and student audiences.
As a pedagogical benefit, PowerPoints, discussion questions, and test questions for each chapter are included as online ancillary materials.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|37 pages
When Do We Die?
chapter 1|7 pages
Defining Death
part II|25 pages
Can We Survive Our Death?
part III|36 pages
Can Death Be Good or Bad for Us? If So, When Is It Good or Bad for Us?
part IV|18 pages
Can Lucretius’ Asymmetry Problem Be Solved?
part V|33 pages
Would Immortality Be Good for Us?
chapter 18|6 pages
How to Live a Never-Ending Novela
part VI|25 pages
What Is the Best Attitude to Take Toward Our Mortality?
part VII|29 pages
How Should We React to the Deaths of Others?
part VIII|29 pages
Is Suicide Rationally or Morally Defensible?
part IX|30 pages
How Does Death Affect the Meaningfulness of Our Lives?