The purpose of life is to move forward. As both a species and as individuals, we evolve and develop, making progress as a society and within our individual lives. Just as it is impossible for us as individuals to stop maturing with time, the same is true with society. We as a collective whole make advancements in technology, social norms, societal structures, and more. However, there are problems and sacrifices that must be made with these advancements. In David Callahan’s book The Troubled Dream of Life, he explains how over time we sacrificed a “tame death”, which is “ a death that was tolerable and familiar, affirmative of the bonds of community and social society, expected with certainty and accepted without crippling fear” (Callahan, 26).
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He argues that a peaceful death should be “central to the mission of medicine” (185). When Callahan defines a peaceful death, he explains how the concept applies to himself. In order to have a peaceful death, Callahan wants to “find meaning in [his] death” in order to make “some kind of sense…of [his] mortality” (195). He wants to be treated with “respect and sympathy” as he dies (195). He wants his “death to matter to others”, and he wants to “people to be with [him], at hand if not in the same room” as he dies (195, 196). He does not want to be the “financial or emotional ruination of another life”, and he wants to “live in a society that does not dread death” (196). He wants to “be conscious very near the time of [his] death”, with his “mental and emotional capacities intact” (196). This means he does not want to be in a coma or otherwise impaired state at the time of his death. Finally, he hopes that his “death will be quick”, or that if it is not quick that he will “bear it well” (196). According to Callahan, all these concepts define a peaceful death. To summarize, for Callahan, the concept of a peaceful death entails being surrounded by the love and respect of those who care about us, as well as finding philosophical meaning in death. Finally, it involves dying a quick death that has not been prolonged or altered by medical technology that would, for example, lead to the final months before death being spent in a
He argues that a peaceful death should be “central to the mission of medicine” (185). When Callahan defines a peaceful death, he explains how the concept applies to himself. In order to have a peaceful death, Callahan wants to “find meaning in [his] death” in order to make “some kind of sense…of [his] mortality” (195). He wants to be treated with “respect and sympathy” as he dies (195). He wants his “death to matter to others”, and he wants to “people to be with [him], at hand if not in the same room” as he dies (195, 196). He does not want to be the “financial or emotional ruination of another life”, and he wants to “live in a society that does not dread death” (196). He wants to “be conscious very near the time of [his] death”, with his “mental and emotional capacities intact” (196). This means he does not want to be in a coma or otherwise impaired state at the time of his death. Finally, he hopes that his “death will be quick”, or that if it is not quick that he will “bear it well” (196). According to Callahan, all these concepts define a peaceful death. To summarize, for Callahan, the concept of a peaceful death entails being surrounded by the love and respect of those who care about us, as well as finding philosophical meaning in death. Finally, it involves dying a quick death that has not been prolonged or altered by medical technology that would, for example, lead to the final months before death being spent in a