by Sissela Bok
First published 2018
Modern medicine has transformed the landscape of life and death decisions, creating unprecedented moral challenges for healthcare professionals. Bok examines the complex questions that arise when advanced medical technology can prolong life but may also extend suffering. She explores how far doctors should go in postponing death versus alleviating pain. The book addresses what terminally ill patients can rightfully request from their physicians when facing unbearable loss of dignity and humanity. Bok clarifies the meaning and implications of Negative Euthanasia, distinguishing it from other end-of-life practices. This enlarged reprint of the 1975 edition brings renewed attention to these enduring ethical dilemmas that continue to challenge medical professionals, patients, and families navigating the intersection of technological capability and human compassion.
Genres: non-fiction, medical-ethics, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: informed-consent
Period: 20th-Century, 21st-Century
208 pages · Paperback · Anchor Press/Doubleday
Content warnings: terminal-illness