We may think of Harry Potter as escapist delight, but J.K. Rowling’s books also contain an extended theme that has more in common with King Lear than most English professors might care to admit.
Bereaved families strive to comprehend that there is nothing they could have done to prevent the death of their loved one. Viewing the crime-and-accident scene images can offer a path to healing.
Excruciating pain at the end of life is extremely rare. The evidence shows pain and other symptoms, such as fatigue, insomnia and breathing issues, actually improve as people move closer to death.
If no one claims the remains of cult leader and killer Charles Manson, it’s unclear what will happen to his body. Will it find an anonymous California grave or face dissection in an anatomy lab?
Lindy Willmott, Queensland University of Technology; Andrew McGee, Queensland University of Technology et Ben White, Queensland University of Technology
The main arguments used by those who voted against assisted dying – including that the bill has insufficient safeguards – in Victoria’s upper house, deserve further scrutiny.
Whether politicians refer to ‘assisted dying’, ‘assisted suicide’ or ‘euthanasia’ tells us a lot about how they feel about the issue, and the emotional response they aim to convey.
Australia has few public rituals around death, leaving people to figure out how to process grief alone. But Mexico’s Day of the Dead, with its focus on art and community, could help us cope better.
Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, University of Oxford