Palgrave Handbook of the Philosophy of Aging

Geoffrey Scarre is Professor of Philosophy at Durham University, UK.  In recent years he has taught and published mainly in moral theory and applied ethics.  His books include Utilitarianism (1996), After Evil: Responding to Wrongdoing (2004), Death (2007) and On Courage (2010). He is a director of the Durham University Centre for the Ethics of Cultural Heritage.

• 1. Introduction.- 2. Part 1   The Meaning of Aging. 3. 1. How old is old? Changing conceptions of old age.- 4. 2. Gerontology versus geriatrics: different ways of understanding aging and old age.- 5. 3. The physiology and psychology of aging: should aging be successful or authentic?.- 6. 4. Concepts of time in age and aging.- 7. 5.The aging of people and of things.- 8. 6. Aging in religious perspective.- 9. 7.Aging in classical philosophy.- 10. 8.Old age in existentialist perspective.- 11. 9. Aging and modern Jewish writing and thought.- 12. Part 2  The Experience of Aging. 13. 13.The stories of our lives: aging and narrative.- 14. 11.Coming to terms with old age – and death.- 15. 13.Feeling one’s age: a phenomenology of aging.- 16. 13.Aging and the maintenance of dignity.- 17. 14.Wisdom and aging.- 18. 15.Does self-identity persist into old age?- 19. 16.Dementia and the nature of mind.- 20. 17.‘This damnable, disgusting old age: aging and (being) one’s body.-21. Part 3  The Ethics of Aging. 22. 18. Aging, getting older and the good life.- 23. 19.Aging as becoming oneself: a philosophical ethics of later life.- 24. 20.Filial duties.- 25. 21.What do the old owe the young?.- 26. 22.Benefits or burdens? The social role of the old.- 27. 23.Virtue, aging and failing.- 28. 24.Ethical issues in dementia care.- 29. Part 4 The Future of Aging 5. Health care for old age: rights, duties and expectations.- 30. 26.How long should people work?.- 31. 27. The transhumanist prospect: developing technology to extend the human lifespan.- Index

“The Palgrave Handbook of the Philosophy of Aging is well executed and remedies a fault in the literature. I recommend it for scholars in aging studies, regardless of whether they are psychologists, sociologists, geriatricians, or other. Among its uses are as a general text for philosophy of aging courses and as a reference for persons who work in research or a profession associated with aging.” (Lauren S. Seifert, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 62 (26), June, 2017)