Original Project Proposal*
Medicine has been at the forefront of man’s attempts to stave off death for as long as humans have existed. From homeopathy and superstitious remedies to chemicals and surgical procedures, healthcare has evolved over time. These evolutions in and of themselves reflect mankind’s changing collective consciousness concerning life, spurring a reevaluation of life and death. By examining death and its impact from a medicinal viewpoint over time from literary, psychological, philosophical, and cultural perspectives, one can understand what death, the end of one’s time on Earth, means to humanity.
I plan on using journal articles documenting the history of medical procedures as well as the discussion revolving around where to draw the lines for life and death. By examining the fundamental approaches of attempts at health treatments, the psyche and cultural values of the time can be understood. Works such as Peter Singer’s Writings on an Ethical Life and Jacques Derrida’s “Plato’s Pharmacy” can provide useful insight from a philosophical perspective. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein gives a fictional literary examination of humanity and life that may prove useful. Other works of literature that discuss death, both fiction and nonfiction, can be used to supplement all four lenses. Medicine posits the argument that life is valuable, and provides an interesting insight into how humans perceive life and the onset of death.
*The topic has changed slightly over the course of the semester. The main focus is on how medicinal advancements are forcing a re-evaluation on what death means and how time is valued.
I plan on using journal articles documenting the history of medical procedures as well as the discussion revolving around where to draw the lines for life and death. By examining the fundamental approaches of attempts at health treatments, the psyche and cultural values of the time can be understood. Works such as Peter Singer’s Writings on an Ethical Life and Jacques Derrida’s “Plato’s Pharmacy” can provide useful insight from a philosophical perspective. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein gives a fictional literary examination of humanity and life that may prove useful. Other works of literature that discuss death, both fiction and nonfiction, can be used to supplement all four lenses. Medicine posits the argument that life is valuable, and provides an interesting insight into how humans perceive life and the onset of death.
*The topic has changed slightly over the course of the semester. The main focus is on how medicinal advancements are forcing a re-evaluation on what death means and how time is valued.
