Fragments on the DeathwatchKeeping vigil over the dying is an essential human practice with long cultural traditions and profound psychological benefits. Yet, as legal scholar Louise Harmon shows, the institutions of modern life-from hospitals to courtrooms-intrude on the practice. In this humane and lyrical book, Harmon looks at literature, philosophy, history, and autobiography as she delicately probes the taboos around discussion of death. She asks whether the law can recognize the needs of families and loved ones and protect the space of their grieving. |
Contents
Paintiffs Procedure and the Limits | 2 |
Moving Up the Brainstem | 92 |
Law and the Architecture of Ritual Space 140 | 40 |
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architects Architecture of Ritual argues attitude toward death believe body Brain Death century cetaceans Commentary Pages constitutional daughter dead Death Talk Death Thought deathwatch decision defined doctor doctrine dolphins dying patient dying person elephants epimeletic behavior Euthanasia Evidentiary Implications family members father fear feel Fragments Franz Kafka friends function goses Grace Paley Harm principle home space hospice care hospital human Ibid Implications of Taboo individual Jeremy Bentham judicial Karen Quinlan Law Wishes lawsuit lawyers lbid legal fiction Limits of Law living means mother move Nancy Cruzan Notes to Commentary Notes to Text nuclear family nursing record O'Connor pain persistent vegetative physician plaintiff problem Procedure Ray Bradbury relationship resuscitate Richard Ritual Space role sick silent social someone soul sub nom subject of death Supreme Court taboo terminally ill things tion treatment Utilitarianism watch whales words