Thinking about the end

I mentioned in class that a friend, Joe Neyer, was dying, after several years of living with brain cancer.  In fact he died on Thursday.  Joe was remarkable -- facing death straight on, always staying open to living.  Last spring he Skyped with my death and dying class, but I didn't want to ask him this semester because he was losing strength.

• Here's a fairly recent interview with him:  http://www.earwolf.com/episode/fear-and-living-well/  
• Here's an open letter he wrote to Brittany Maynard:  http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/10/30/a-letter-to-brittanymaynardtheresmorethantherighttodie.html
• Here's another interview about the Conversation Project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09w3Lv9QiR4&feature=youtu.be

What do you think about Joe's attitude?

What do you want for your final words, legacy, memorial, obituary?  What are you doing now to bring that about?

Tough request from a patient (Exam Q)

What will you do with the patient who makes a request you believe is completely immoral? 

Living to 100? (exam Q)

If you could live to be 100, would you?  Explain (and justify) your answer by responding to this quote, p. 137 in Barry:  “Does life shine brighter because it is such a brief candle?  Are we driven to improve our lot, personally and collectively, because we have so little time?  Such imponderables elevate immortality to a new level of moral gravity.”  Use specific class readings, films, discussions (in class & on the blog) in constructing your answer.

Human Nature (exam Q)

Which of the theories of human nature in the Stevenson book do you find most persuasive and why?