ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I offer some reasons why medical ethics and Stoicism have, in spite of their shared popularity, evolved on parallel philosophical tracks over the past quarter-century. Then I suggest how Stoicism could be relevant to contemporary medical ethics, in ways that both complement and challenge its dominant presuppositions and methodology. The key insight here is how the Stoics present an alternative understanding of how philosophy is a practical activity, as compared with contemporary medical ethics. This, in turn, entails a different view of individual autonomy. Finally, I offer a specific example of how these suggestions could have a profound impact: how we conceive of and obtain informed consent in the context of end-of-life dilemmas.
