How Do Our Choices Reflect What We Value in our Lives?

How Do Our Choices at Life's End Reflect What We Value During Our Lives?

In this sixth installment of our seven-part series, "Does Thinking About Death Lead to a Good Life?", we invite you to delve into the exploration of life, death, and the human experience through Atul Gawande's non-fiction work 'Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End'.

Reading for this Class:
Atul Gawande's 'Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End'

About the book:
Atul Gawande's 'Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End' and 'Letting Go' are introspective examinations of life, death, and the role of modern medicine. 'Being Mortal' critically explores how medical practices often prioritize survival over quality of life, particularly for the elderly and terminally ill, raising essential questions about what constitutes a well-lived life as it nears its end. 'Letting Go' delves into the nuanced journey of terminal patients and their families as they navigate end-of-life decisions, challenging the notion that extending life always equals a better life. Together, these works underscore the importance of empowering patients to choose their end-of-life care, balancing the delicate intersection of prolonging life and facilitating a dignified death.

In our facilitated discussion, we will grapple with the following questions:

• How does Atul Gawande's exploration of end-of-life decisions in "Being Mortal" challenge or confirm your existing beliefs about life's worth and the nature of a good life?
• In the context of this book, how can we reconcile the technological capabilities of modern medicine to prolong life with the philosophical understanding of life's natural course and our inevitable mortality?
• How do Gawande's discussions around quality of life versus quantity of life influence our understanding of what it means to live a fulfilled life?
• How does the author's perspective on patient autonomy at the end of life challenge traditional medical ethics and potentially redefine our collective understanding of compassion and dignity at life's end?