Aging and Human Nature

Prof. Dr. Mark Schweda is professor for Ethics in Medicine at the Department for Health Services Research, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg. As a philosopher and bioethicist, his research focuses on philosophical, bioethical, and socio-cultural aspects of aging and the human life course as well as on questions of philosophical anthropology and political philosophy. Among his publications are the edited volumes “Planning Later Life. Bioethics and Public Health in Ageing Societies” (2017, together with Larissa Pfaller, Kai Brauer, Frank Adloff, and Silke Schicktanz) and “Popularizing Dementia. Public Expressions and Representations of Forgetfulness” (2015, together with Aagje Swinnen).Prof. Dr. Michael Coors is extraordinary Professor for theological ethics and head of the Institute for Social Ethics at Zurich University. As theologian and bioethicist, he is working on ethical and anthropological issues of aging, end of life care, and intercultural encounter in health care. He studied protestant theology and philosophy, and worked as theologian at the Center for Health Care Ethics in Hannover, Germany (2011-2018). Among his recent publications are edited volumes on voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (2019, together with Alfred Simon and Bernd Alt-Epping) and on Advance Care Planning (2015, together with Ralf J. Jox and Jürgen in der Schmitten).Dr. Claudia Bozzaro is Research Fellow at the Department of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine at the Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg. As a philosopher and bioethicist, she is working on ethical, philosophical, and anthropological aspects of aging, end of life care, and reproductive medicine. Among her recent publications are edited special issues on the normativity of suffering in bioethics and medicine (2018, together with Christoph Mandry) and on new approaches to chronic pain (2016, together with Kristin Kieselbach and Markus Schiltenwolf).

• Introduction.- Part I. Ageing and the Human Condition.- Chapter 1. The Individuality of Ageing(Thomas Rentsch).- Chapter 2. The Potentiality of Ageing (Andreas Kruse).- Chapter 3. Dependence and Passivity in Ageing (Heinz Rüegger).- Part II. Ageing, Body, and Space.- Chapter 4. The Ageing Body as Lived History (Wim Dekkers).- Chapter 5. Ageing and Vulnerability (Samia Hurst).- Chapter 6. The Gendered Body and the Experience of Ageing (Maren Wehrle).- Chapter 7. Capturing Space and (Dis-)Embodied Age (Christina Schües).- Part III. Ageing and Time.- Chapter 8. Ageing, Time, and Temporality (Jan Baars).- Chpater 9. Ageing and the Life Course (Mark Schweda).- Chapter 10. The Paradox of Human Finitude (Christine Overall).- Chapter 11. Ageing and Narrativity (Michael Coors).- Part IV. Ageing in Relations.- Chapter 12. Responsible Ageing and the Ethics of Responsiveness (Frits de Lange).- Chapter 13. Ageing and Care (Hartmut Remmers).- Chapter 14. Ageing and Generationality from the Perspective of Historical Anthropology (Jörg Zirfas).- Part V. Anthropological Views of Ageing in Contemporary Discourses and Practices.- Chapter 15. The Meaning of Ageing: Redemption or Liberation? (Ronald Manheimer).- Chapter 16. Ageing in Dignity (Ralf Stoecker, Bielefeld).- Chapter 17. The (Implicit) Anthropology of Bioethics Is Ageist – How Can We Change It? (Søren Holm).- Chapter 18. Spirituality and Transcendence in Old Age (Ralph Kunz).

“The diverse contributions of the present anthology provide an excellent overview of aging and old age as a fundamental anthropological phenomenon and open up current – mostly European – critical socio-gerontological research for international discussion. … It inspires the inclusion of an even bigger variety of philosophical traditions about their contributions to Aging Studies and ultimately demonstrates how Aging Studies can benefit from the discussion of different scientific traditions.” (Anna-Christina Kainradl,Age, Culture, Humanities, Issue 5, 2021)