Philosophical and Spiritual Issues in Death and Dying

Catalog description

From Plato to Maimonides to Heidegger to Kubler-Ross, scholars, clinicians and spiritual writers have recognized that attitudes about death and dying contribute to understandings of human existence. Recalling the ancient Socratic, biblical and other spiritual traditions of the cura animarum (care for and cure of the soul) and joining contemporary post/secular conversations relevant to integration of body-mind-spirit, this course introduces basic concepts and practices of care ethics and spirituality. Focuses on relations among existential (ontological), therapeutic (psychosomatic) and spiritual (religious) dimensions of care. Theoretically, the course is inter-faith in approach, holistic in scope and specialized in content. Practically, students examine real-life issues in care ethics and spirituality from multiple perspectives.