The Dissenter

#1152 Michael Cholbi: The Philosophy of Death and Dying

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Sep 19, 2025
Guest
Michael Cholbi
Dr. Michael Cholbi, a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, delves into the complex philosophy surrounding death and dying. He discusses various definitions of death, the ethical implications of immortality, and whether death can be seen as harmful. The conversation moves to suicide, examining its medical and moral dimensions, alongside discussions on autonomy and the right to die. Cholbi also tackles the controversial topics of assisted dying and the varying interpretations of dignity, making for a thought-provoking listen.
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INSIGHT

Death Is Conceptually Contested

  • Death is contested: biologically dead, loss of consciousness, or loss of personhood are different criteria.
  • How we define death affects medical practice and ethical judgements about when someone is dead.
INSIGHT

Value Of Death Is Comparative

  • Deprivationism compares actual life truncated by death to the counterfactual longer life you would have had.
  • Death can be good or bad depending on whether the lost future would have improved your life.
INSIGHT

Immortality Could Be Good Or Bad

  • Immortality may suit some people and not others; Bernard Williams' boredom objection argues endless life becomes tedious.
  • Whether immortality is good depends on individual capacity to find endless worthwhile pursuits.
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