Paliatívna medicína a liečba bolesti 1-2e/2018

Human dignity at life‘s end, the phenomenon of hope and empathy

In the 21st century, respect for human dignity is highlighted in connection to the end of life and dying. This debate evolves in the context of advances in science, the penetration of technology into medicine, and the success of physicians with prolonging the human life. Advances in medicine are welcome, but they bring ethical issues to a number of questions that need to be discussed. Important issues discussed include the notion of dignity in human life. What is the importance of a person‘s dignity in the first place? What is it at one‘s old age and the last part of their life? The phenomenon of hope is also important.

Keywords: dignity, empathy, hope, old age, respect, dying