Life's End: Technocratic Dying in an Age of Spiritual Yearning

by David Wendell Moller

Overview

The explicit purpose of this book is to analyze dying and death in the cosmopolitan, modern setting. There is, however, an additional theme that is implicit in the analysis and observations. The portrait of dying, which is provided in the pages of the book, also tells us a great deal about life. It demonstrates that the foundation for the medicalization of death that piercingly shapes the life experience of dying persons and loved ones is a product of the ways of life in the broader culture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780895032027
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/15/1999
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	210
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 Encountering M ortality: Prelim inary Reflections, CHAPTER 2 Contemplating Death: Human Voice, CHAPTER 3 The Problem of Meaning: Dying in an Age of Spiritual Longing, CHAPTER 4 Fear and Denial in the Modern Context, CHAPTER 5 Technological Medicine, Technocratic Physicians and Human Dying, Fellowship and Dying: The Problem of Detachment, CHAPTER 7 Impersonalism, Dying, and Social Organization of the Hospital, CHAPTER 8 The Stigma of Dying, CHAPTER 9 Approaching Omega: The Roller Coaster of Dying, CHAPTER 10 A Concluding Statement: Technicism, Social Isolation, Medicalization, and Remedicalization of Dying.

What People are Saying About This

Helen Orchard

In Life's End, David Wendell Moller has produced a thought-provoking and highly readable book which serves as a serious critique to the way the dying are cared for within current hospital environments. . . .This book has many strengths, but one of the most important is its deliberate use of the experiences of patients. Their voices are heard loud and clear through the inclusion of extended quotations which are deeply expressive, drawing the reader into the personal world of the dying and making this, at times, an intimate book. Nevertheless, in his bid to engage the reader, Moller has not sacrificed the clarity of his argument or its theoretical grounding. The breadth of his thought and the attempt to understand dying within the wider context of the societal forces of materialism, individualism and technical dependence proves stimulating and generates significant insights.
—Senior Research Associate, Lincoln Theological Institute, The University of Sheffield, UK

Rev. Dr. Richard B. Gilbert

"Moller demands, with tough, thought provoking and hopeful words, that we rethink who we are, what we believe, how we practice our beliefs, and how our lifestyles impact often in negative ways our dying as well as our living. This is an important book. It will not sit comfortably with you. It will also prove a guide and a friend. It has as its essential theme, albeit simply put here, how we die is clearly dictated by how we live. Stated in another way, until we look at the problems inherent in contemporary lifestyles, as community, nation, planet and person, we will not affect the changes needed in how we die and how we care for the dying.
—BCC, Resources Hotline, Volume 3, Number 22

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Lisa Stepp, PhD, RN, APN, AOCN, CRNH (Private Practice)
Description: As we move into the new century, one question remains as a central theme for humanity: "What is the meaning of life?" Ironically the answer to this question may actually be found in the study of dying.
Purpose: The purpose, as stated by the editor, is to increase the awareness of healthcare professionals and society to the severe neglect and isolation of dying patients. He uses personal accounts of his client's own words to meet this objective in a poignant and compassionate way in the hope that future patients will not suffer these indignities.
Audience: While the text is obviously designed for the student and practitioner of thanatology, there are lessons to be learned here on living that relate to all human beings. The editor's experience in facilitating the dying process for numerous individuals provides him with a unique insight and perspective of this delicate topic.
Features: In the framework of death as a mirror of life's meaning, the editor attempts to provide the reader with an understanding of how we find the art of living in the art of dying. The use of personal accounts and diaries makes the text come alive. The reader recognizes that this is not just a report of patients' experiences but a story told by the patients themselves in their own words.
Assessment: Many times patients do not feel that they can truly express what they are thinking and feeling. In the safe environment provided in this study, patients were able to express ideas and emotions that are often left suppressed and ignored. Of the greatest interest in this text is the underlying theme that the meaning and accomplishments of individuals' lives can shape their death experience.

Doody's Review Service

As we move into the new century, one question remains as a central theme for humanity: "What is the meaning of life?" Ironically the answer to this question may actually be found in the study of dying. The purpose, as stated by the editor, is to increase the awareness of healthcare professionals and society to the severe neglect and isolation of dying patients. He uses personal accounts of his client's own words to meet this objective in a poignant and compassionate way in the hope that future patients will not suffer these indignities. While the text is obviously designed for the student and practitioner of thanatology, there are lessons to be learned here on living that relate to all human beings. The editor's experience in facilitating the dying process for numerous individuals provides him with a unique insight and perspective of this delicate topic. In the framework of death as a mirror of life's meaning, the editor attempts to provide the reader with an understanding of how we find the art of living in the art of dying. The use of personal accounts and diaries makes the text come alive. The reader recognizes that this is not just a report of patients' experiences but a story told by the patients themselves in their own words. Many times patients do not feel that they can truly express what they are thinking and feeling. In the safe environment provided in this study, patients were able to express ideas and emotions that are often left suppressed and ignored. Of the greatest interest in this text is the underlying theme that the meaning and accomplishments of individuals' lives can shape their death experience.

Lisa Stepp

Moller (sociology, Indiana U., Indianapolis) teaches courses in death and dying. Here he focuses on the attempt to control the experience of dying through technological manipulation and social isolation. He explains how the medicalization of death is a product of the ways of life in the broader culture. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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