OBJECTIVES: Life-sustaining treatment at the end of life gives rise to many ethical problems in Japan. Recent surveys of Japanese physicians suggested that they tend to treat terminally ill patients aggressively. We studied why Japanese physicians were reluctant to withhold or withdraw life-support from terminally ill patients and what affected their decisions. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: A qualitative study design was employed, using a focus group interview with seven physicians, to gain an in-depth understanding of attitudes and rationales in Japan regarding (...) medical care at the end of life. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that physicians and patients' family members usually make decisions about life-sustaining treatment, while the patients' wishes are unavailable or not taken into account. Both physicians and family members tend to consider withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment as abandonment or even killing. The strongest reason to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation- and to continue it until patients' family members arrive-seems to be the family members' desire to be at the bedside at the time of death. All physicians participating in our study regarded advance directives that provide information as to patients' wishes about life-sustaining treatment desirable. All expressed concern, however, that it would be difficult to forego or discontinue life-support based on a patient's advance directive, particularly when the patient's family opposed the directive. CONCLUSION: Our group interview suggested several possible barriers to death with dignity and the appropriate use of advance directives in Japan. Further qualitative and quantitative research in this regard is needed. (shrink)

日本政治の実証分析、レヴァイアサン、自由主義的改革、政界再編、ポピュリズム――日本政治研究をリードした「大嶽政治学」の軌跡。.

〈今ここに生きている〉という実感が、なぜ人生の意味と美をなすのか。現代思想を縦横に論じ、人生の愉悦のありかを探る批評の冒険。.

地方自治体もまた一つの“政府”である。市民による自治体と国家は対等である。自治体改革やシビル・ミニマムの理論を創造し、戦後の政治と社会を変革した一政治学者の思想と行動の全貌。新たな都市政策や憲法理論に よって来たるべき市民政府を提唱し、偏狭なナショナリズムを超える未来への道筋を示す。.

Collected works of Dpal-sprul O-rgyan-ʾjigs-med-chos-kyi-dbang-po, 1808-1887, a Nyingmapa master on diverse topics predominantly on Rnying-ma-pa doctrines and Budhist philosophy; includes rituals.

池上彰氏が各紙誌で紹介、大反響を呼んだ前作『「昔はよかった」と言うけれど戦前のマナー・モラルから考える』の待望の続編!

ジェンダー/セクシュアリティの自由は、いかに可能か?バトラー理論を社会学的に再構成し、主体と他者、言語と物質、権力と抵抗の関係を捉え直す。.

雑誌『現代思想』が創刊された七〇年代から現在までの社会/思想の推移を、その特集と営みを補助線としながら考察し、これからの歴史の読み方を鋭く問う。.