Brown Bag Lunch Online Presentation with Mary Bockover, Cal Poly Humboldt Dept. of Philosophy
Monday, November 18, 2024 - 12:00pm
Brown Bag Lunch Online Presentation with Mary Bockover, Cal Poly Humboldt Dept. of Philosophy : Euthanasia means a “good” or “easy” death, which is counter to how we usually think about death. However, in some circumstances, death is not only accepted but is welcomed. This presentation will consider some ethical dimensions for believing that death is not necessarily a bad thing, but may even be a good one. We will begin by going over some ways of thinking about the relationship between life and death. Then we will examine some principles and distinctions that help to make sense of the concept of euthanasia, in light of how they can be applied to specific examples. Next, we will analyze the thesis and arguments of two philosophers who offer different accounts they think will justify opting for death over life. We will then go over the 2016 End of Life Option (EOLA) Act, that made euthanasia legal in California with certain restrictions. The legal and moral aspects of euthanasia, although clearly related, also involve differences -- for example, something can be moral, but may not be legal (and the other way around). With that in mind, we will end by looking at some ethical implications of euthanasia in light of some real-life cases, and some ways to protect our choices when it comes to planning for our own death.
Dr. Mary Bockover graduated with a Ph.D. in philosophy from UC Santa Barbara. She is a distinguished academic with a profound dedication to philosophy and a diverse range of personal interests.
She enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, walking, camping, and occasionally backpacking. Her creative pursuits include poetry, pottery, amateur photography, travel, and motorcycling.
Mary has made significant contributions to her university, community, and profession. She founded and manages the Humboldt Philosophy Forum, a platform that addresses contemporary issues with a reflective, critical, and constructive approach. Since joining Humboldt, she has also served as a biomedical ethics consultant, continuing this role at both local and national levels.
Mary has an extensive research portfolio, including an edited book and numerous articles in journals, book chapters, and academic texts. Her research interests span comparative philosophy, ancient Chinese philosophy, ethics, gender and identity theory, and philosophical psychology.
She has published book reviews, delivered keynote and invited talks, and presented at various conferences globally.
As a Fulbright Scholar, she taught and conducted research at Charles University in Prague, focusing on Chinese philosophy, ethics, and comparative philosophy. She also spent time in the Czech Republic, including giving guest lectures at the University of Pardubice.
At Cal Poly Humboldt, Mary has taught a wide range of courses, and is currently in the Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP), teaching primarily during the fall semesters.
The presentation will begin promptly at noon.
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