- Feb 5, 2002
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Consciousness is not simply a phenomenon that can be arbitrarily dispensed with or suppressed at whim: it is a critical element of the human experience, particularly in the last chapter of one’s earthly existence, during which one comes face to face with the mystery of suffering and the meaning of life.
Death and dying often bring about anxiety and fear, particularly around the topic of pain and suffering. The issue of the adequate and proportionate alleviation of pain and suffering has long been one of the principal concerns across the wide range of modern medicine. While advances in pharmacological interventions during the past century have certainly alleviated symptoms previously perceived as uncontrollable, in the care of the terminally ill there remain some symptoms that can only be sufficiently relieved through either the partial or complete suppression of patient consciousness. Such interventions often involve the administration of high doses of anesthesia, presenting various risks including the potential of hastening death and depriving patients of a conscious experience of their last days.
Continued below.
www.thepublicdiscourse.com
Death and dying often bring about anxiety and fear, particularly around the topic of pain and suffering. The issue of the adequate and proportionate alleviation of pain and suffering has long been one of the principal concerns across the wide range of modern medicine. While advances in pharmacological interventions during the past century have certainly alleviated symptoms previously perceived as uncontrollable, in the care of the terminally ill there remain some symptoms that can only be sufficiently relieved through either the partial or complete suppression of patient consciousness. Such interventions often involve the administration of high doses of anesthesia, presenting various risks including the potential of hastening death and depriving patients of a conscious experience of their last days.
Continued below.
Consciousness and Sedation at the End of Life
Consciousness is not simply a phenomenon that can be arbitrarily dispensed with or suppressed at whim: it is a critical element of the human experience, particularly in the last chapter of one’s earthly existence, during which one comes face to face with the mystery of suffering and the meaning of l
www.thepublicdiscourse.com
