Conference Agenda
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“To philosophize means learning to die” – developing death literacy in communities of philosophical and palliative care practice
University Graz, Austria
Background
Dealing with existential questions in the face of death is a constitutive part of palliative care. To make space for the topic of death in everyday life conversations, we can meanwhile rely on a repertoire of concrete practices: e.g. last aid courses, death cafés, and practices from spiritual care. However, Philosophical practices are not considered—which marks the beginning of our research interest. Philosophical practice is a non-elitist approach to doing philosophy and enables people—in the Socratic tradition—to reflect on their (existential) everyday life experiences in a philosophical way. In our ongoing research project „Philosophical Practice in Palliative Care and Hospice Work“, we seek to close this gap by practically investigating the opportunities and limits of philosophical practice for the development of death literacy.
Design
In this contribution we will a) briefly introduce philosophical practice, b) focus on the evaluation and analysis of a series of philosophical group events in the palliative care context and present (interim) results, c) draw conclusions with regard to the concept and dimensions of death literacy.
Methods
In the empirical part of this contribution, we conduct a qualitative document analysis of protocols and personal notes provided by the involved philosophical practitioners, complemented by group discussion with them and participants’ feedback. We combine this analysis with philosophical analysis, interpreting the results regarding implications for the concept and dimensions of "death literacy" itself.
Results
Philosophical practice can make important contributions to developing death literacy according to its known dimensions. Moreover, by deepening and critically questioning what is self-evident within the social and personal life-philosophies we pursue, philosophical practice adds to the development of the concept of “death literacy” itself.
Practical conclusions
We give insight into how philosophical practice can be applied in end-of-life care in communities and everyday life.
Funding
This research is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) P 35627-G.
Session Details:
Parallel session 3b: Building death literacy
Time: 23/Oct/2024: 2:00pm-3:30pm · Location: Hotel Bern - Room "Unionssaal 1"
