End-of-Course Reflection

Please comment on at least several if not all of these questions -- use separate posts if you like.   

What have you learned in this course that surprised you?

Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers?  

Do you have an understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying?

Have you developed an appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives?

Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?

Reflections on Human Nature

Try to address 2 or 3 of the following prompts.  Respond to 1 or 2 of your classmates' postings.

• 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?

Diving Bell and the Butterfly

More info on the film

• http://www.thedivingbellandthebutterfly-themovie.com/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diving_Bell_and_the_Butterfly
• http://www.salon.com/2008/02/23/diving_bell_2/

What questions do you have?  What was your favorite scene?  What "lessons" do you take away from the film? What surprised you? What made you sad?  Make an original post, then come back and comment on 2 of your classmates' posts.

Living Wills & End of Life Conversations

Related to Brittany Maynard and end of life,  PRI report:
http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-11-20/explore-final-moments-dying-man-who-chose-end-his-own-life

Questions to guide end of life conversations:

• http://associationdatabase.com/aws/MCA/asset_manager/get_file/73442/conversations_revision_jan_2014.pdf 
• http://www.dyingwell.org/faq.htm 
• http://theconversationproject.org/ 
• National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization
• http://www.nhpco.org/advance-care-planning
• http://www.nhpco.org/resources/end-life-care--resources

Disclaimer: check with your health care provider or attorney for up-to-date info, this is meant to be illustrative and informative, not legal.

State of Ohio packet of information --and a series of questions -- about end of life
http://associationdatabase.com/aws/MCA/asset_manager/get_file/73442/conversations_revision_jan_2014.pdf

Commonwealth of Kentucky Living Will packet
http://ag.ky.gov/civil/consumerprotection/livingwills/Documents/livingwillpacket.pdf

State of Illinois Living Will template
http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/books/Livin.PDF

Nov current events

*30Nov* OSU Football Student-Athlete, Kosta Karageorge Found Dead
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11960455/kosta-karageorge-ohio-state-buckeyes-found-dead 

Obama Condemns Islamic State’s Killing of Peter Kassig - NYTimes.com
Another beheading by Da'ish a.k.a., ISIS
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/world/middleeast/peter-kassig-isis-video-execution.html?emc=edit_th_20141117&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=25414714&_r=0&referrer=

Tomas Young Dies at 34; Critic of Iraq War in Film - NYTimes.com
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/us/tomas-young-dies-at-34-critic-of-iraq-war-in-film.html?referrer=

In Death, Girl, 2, Is Caught in Fight Over Organshttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/nyregion/in-death-girl-2-is-caught-in-fight-over-organs.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Military suicides
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/health/new-prediction-model-could-reduce-military-suicides-study-finds.html?emc=edit_th_20141113&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=25414714&_r=0&referrer=

The concert

What did you think of James Falzone's performance?
Rawness, emotion, meditation, improv, prayer, reflection. What did it mean to you? How does it tie to the course?

Cross-Cultural Implications in Death & Dying

(the area for my senior project, fyi)


(California Healthcare Foundation) – New research highlights the ways in which culture frames end-of-life choices for patients and families. 
http://www.chcf.org/publications/2014/11/gather-round-culture-eol?utm_source=Coalition+for+Compassionate+Care+of+California&utm_campaign=a786db1239-November_newsletter11_7_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fe8bdd104b-a786db1239-165205301