A reflection on Cicely Saunders' views on a good death through the philosophy of Charles Taylor.
In her writings, Cicely Saunders has developed a total framework of caring for seriously ill people. Saunders' reaction to what she has experienced as bad contemporary post-war health care is to be found in her hospice philosophy. In this article this philosophy is analysed through the writings of Charles Taylor. Taylor is a Canadian philosopher who has delivered important views on what it means to live a 'good' and 'authentic' life in a modern society. By focusing on Saunders' writings from Taylor's perspective it becomes apparent that Saunders has created a very modern theory. The author has found that different aspects of a good and authentic life are important values in Saunders' good and authentic death. These findings are followed by one question: is Saunders' hospice philosophy too focused on values such as individuality, control and autonomy, giving too little attention to fragility and dependency?
Thoresen
Lisbeth
L
Faculty of Health Sciences, Vestfold University College, Norway.
D001293:Attitude to Death; D004992:Ethics, Medical / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000266:history*; D006801:Humans; D010686:Philosophy, Medical / Q000266:history*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012945:Social Values