Living wills: anticipatory decisions and advance directives

Advance directives and living wills.

The article focuses on the philosophical, ethical and juridical problems concerning Advance directives and Living Wills (underlining analogies and differences). The author makes a critical comparison between the theories supporting Living Wills (the liberal theory appealing to the principle of self-determination and the utilitarian theory on the "quality of life") and the reasons against them (...

Advance Directives and Living Wills for Muslims

I will start my talk with an actual case. JW, 74, the father of a Catholic physician, who is also an ethicist in a Catholic hospital, suffered a massive stroke that left him paralyzed with receptive and expressive aphasia. His advance directive stated that he did not want mechanical ventilation, nutrition, or hydration if he were to end up in a terminal state. He is now paralyzed and has expres...

Living wills and other advance directives.

The bulk of public interest in advance directives for health care has focused to date upon the living will. This approach is hampered by a narrow focus and a lack of applicability to many of the situations in which guidance is needed. The major value of the living will may prove to be its role in raising the level of public consciousness. The durable power of attorney concept, though not free o...

A time to live, a time to die: advance directives and living wills.

A "living will" is a type of health care document known as an "Advance Medical Directive." An advance directive is a generic term for a form or document which expresses your preferences in the event you are physically and mentally unable to make medical care decisions for yourself. That is, an Advance Medical Directive is a method of letting others know your wishes about treatment if you are un...

Advance directives under state law and judicial decisions.