Ethics & Medicine
"Meilaender's work frames aging exceptionally well, while bringing his characteristic depth with his rare economy of words."
Farr A. Curlin, MD
-- MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics
"In this masterful little book Gilbert Meilaender interrogates the project to extend human life indefinitely and shows that longer life cannot satisfy the deeply human longings that animate that project. Better, he proposes, to cultivate the virtue of patience in the face of our mortal limits. Not a patience of resignation, but a patience marked by gratitude for the gift of life, including its limits, and by eager hope for the fullness of life promised by the God who died so that we might live."
David H. Smith
-- Yale University
"Gilbert Meilaender has been for several decades one of the two or three most provocative, insightful, and clear writers on religion and ethics. He's not afraid of uncertainty but wants to put it in the right intellectual space. Aging is a topic of extraordinary importance, and not only for those of us who are doing it. Meilaender's style is vintage, disciplined, and forceful."
Thomas G. Long
-- Candler School of Theology
"As we have come to expect from Gilbert Meilaender, this is an intellectually rigorous and probing exploration of an urgent ethical issue. And as we have also come to expect, it is finally an eloquent and wise theological witness. Meilaender calls us to leave behind the futile search for meaning merely in an ever-extended human life span and urges us instead to see life as a journey shaped in freedom by God, who crafts for us a hopeful ending that we cannot always see but can always believe and trust."
Abigail Rian Evans
-- Georgetown University Medical Center
"Meilaender combines a poetic style of writing from a theological perspective with a scientific rigor of analysis to give us a book that is hard to put down. He rightly argues that human flourishing, or virtue, is more crucial than preventing aging or prolonging life."
Interpretation
"This beautifully written little book both summarizes and advances the conversation about retarding the aging process and prolonging life. . . . I recommend it for students and teachers, for pastors and for those who, like me, are aging and reminded of their mortality. It will not eliminate the ambiguities of aging, but it does nurture the comfort and the courage to face those ambiguities and the wisdom for a more faithful journey through them."
Christian Century
"Meilaender argues that the essence of human life is found in a multistage process that has not only a beginning and a middle but also a worldly end. Like Augustine before him, he holds that this human journey, no matter how long it is extended on this planet, can never be complete until it finds rest in God."
Lutheran Quarterly
"A rich, informed, and readable book."
Church Times (UK)
"This is a book that readers will find a thoughtful, careful and creatively theological study of the ethical issues that surround aging and our desire to postpone death."
Zygon
"Given that life is finite, this brief book that raises many questions in an evocative way is very valuable. . . . Meilaender invites us to love the finite human life."
First Things
"Drawing insights from and making arguments with diverse thinkers and cultural figures from Aristotle to
Groundhog Day, Meilaender shows why aging is good, even as it also can be right to slow it down."
Theological Book Review
"The title of this book might confuse those coming to it without a background in current discussions in bioethics, where the push to bestow upon humans extended and even unending physical life (immortality according to some) has attracted quite a following. . . . The driving force that will bring it about is, we are told, scientific achievement and a new medical revolution whereby medicine will be able to `cure' death and provide dramatically rejuvenated bodies to all and sundry (at least for some in some societies). This is the backdrop for Gilbert Meilaender's very helpful analysis with its assessment of the science of aging, anti-aging remedies, and the narcissistic quest for continued youthfulness. For Meilaender, what is needed is a fuller conception of our humanity together with a richer and fuller understanding of love."
Should We Live Forever?: The Ethical Ambiguities of Aging
Paperback
|English
|080286869X
|
9780802868695
Should We Live Forever?: The Ethical Ambiguities of Aging
Paperback
|English
|080286869X
|
9780802868695
Overview
In Should We Live Forever? Christian ethicist Gilbert Meilaender puzzles over the implications of the medical advances that have lengthened the human life span, wrestling with what this quest for living longer means for our conception of living well and completely. As he points out in his introduction, That we often desire, even greedily desire, longer life is clear; whether what we desire is truly desirable is harder to say.The six chapters of this book take multiple perspectives on issues surrounding aging and invite readers to consider whether indefinitely more life is something worth pursuing and, if humans are created for life with God, whether longer life will truly satisfy our underlying hunger.
ISBN: 080286869X
ISBN13: 9780802868695
Author: Gilbert Meilaender
Publisher: Eerdmans
Format: Paperback
PublicationDate: 2013-01-14
Language: English
PageCount: 135
Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.35 x 8.5
inches
Weight:
5.6 ounces
Description
In Should We Live Forever? Christian ethicist Gilbert Meilaender puzzles over the implications of the medical advances that have lengthened the human life span, wrestling with what this quest for living longer means for our conception of living well and completely. As he points out in his introduction, That we often desire, even greedily desire, longer life is clear; whether what we desire is truly desirable is harder to say.
The six chapters of this book take multiple perspectives on issues surrounding aging and invite readers to consider whether indefinitely more life is something worth pursuing and, if humans are created for life with God, whether longer life will truly satisfy our underlying hunger.
The six chapters of this book take multiple perspectives on issues surrounding aging and invite readers to consider whether indefinitely more life is something worth pursuing and, if humans are created for life with God, whether longer life will truly satisfy our underlying hunger.
Editorial Reviews
Condition Guidelines
Books - New and Used
The following guidelines apply to books:
- New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
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- Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
- Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
- No additional fees and charges.
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The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.
Estimated delivery times:
- Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.
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Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.).
If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.
Returns & Refunds
You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.
Additional non-returnable items:
- Gift cards
- Downloadable software products
- Some health and personal care items
To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
- Book with obvious signs of use
- CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
- Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
- Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.
Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.
If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:
- Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
- Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
- Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.
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Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
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Overview
In Should We Live Forever? Christian ethicist Gilbert Meilaender puzzles over the implications of the medical advances that have lengthened the human life span, wrestling with what this quest for living longer means for our conception of living well and completely. As he points out in his introduction, That we often desire, even greedily desire, longer life is clear; whether what we desire is truly desirable is harder to say.The six chapters of this book take multiple perspectives on issues surrounding aging and invite readers to consider whether indefinitely more life is something worth pursuing and, if humans are created for life with God, whether longer life will truly satisfy our underlying hunger.
ISBN: 080286869X
ISBN13: 9780802868695
Author: Gilbert Meilaender
Publisher: Eerdmans
Format: Paperback
PublicationDate: 2013-01-14
Language: English
PageCount: 135
Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.35 x 8.5
inches
Weight:
5.6 ounces
Description
In Should We Live Forever? Christian ethicist Gilbert Meilaender puzzles over the implications of the medical advances that have lengthened the human life span, wrestling with what this quest for living longer means for our conception of living well and completely. As he points out in his introduction, That we often desire, even greedily desire, longer life is clear; whether what we desire is truly desirable is harder to say.
The six chapters of this book take multiple perspectives on issues surrounding aging and invite readers to consider whether indefinitely more life is something worth pursuing and, if humans are created for life with God, whether longer life will truly satisfy our underlying hunger.
The six chapters of this book take multiple perspectives on issues surrounding aging and invite readers to consider whether indefinitely more life is something worth pursuing and, if humans are created for life with God, whether longer life will truly satisfy our underlying hunger.
Editorial Reviews
Ethics & Medicine
"Meilaender's work frames aging exceptionally well, while bringing his characteristic depth with his rare economy of words."
Farr A. Curlin, MD
-- MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics
"In this masterful little book Gilbert Meilaender interrogates the project to extend human life indefinitely and shows that longer life cannot satisfy the deeply human longings that animate that project. Better, he proposes, to cultivate the virtue of patience in the face of our mortal limits. Not a patience of resignation, but a patience marked by gratitude for the gift of life, including its limits, and by eager hope for the fullness of life promised by the God who died so that we might live."
David H. Smith
-- Yale University
"Gilbert Meilaender has been for several decades one of the two or three most provocative, insightful, and clear writers on religion and ethics. He's not afraid of uncertainty but wants to put it in the right intellectual space. Aging is a topic of extraordinary importance, and not only for those of us who are doing it. Meilaender's style is vintage, disciplined, and forceful."
Thomas G. Long
-- Candler School of Theology
"As we have come to expect from Gilbert Meilaender, this is an intellectually rigorous and probing exploration of an urgent ethical issue. And as we have also come to expect, it is finally an eloquent and wise theological witness. Meilaender calls us to leave behind the futile search for meaning merely in an ever-extended human life span and urges us instead to see life as a journey shaped in freedom by God, who crafts for us a hopeful ending that we cannot always see but can always believe and trust."
Abigail Rian Evans
-- Georgetown University Medical Center
"Meilaender combines a poetic style of writing from a theological perspective with a scientific rigor of analysis to give us a book that is hard to put down. He rightly argues that human flourishing, or virtue, is more crucial than preventing aging or prolonging life."
Interpretation
"This beautifully written little book both summarizes and advances the conversation about retarding the aging process and prolonging life. . . . I recommend it for students and teachers, for pastors and for those who, like me, are aging and reminded of their mortality. It will not eliminate the ambiguities of aging, but it does nurture the comfort and the courage to face those ambiguities and the wisdom for a more faithful journey through them."
Christian Century
"Meilaender argues that the essence of human life is found in a multistage process that has not only a beginning and a middle but also a worldly end. Like Augustine before him, he holds that this human journey, no matter how long it is extended on this planet, can never be complete until it finds rest in God."
Lutheran Quarterly
"A rich, informed, and readable book."
Church Times (UK)
"This is a book that readers will find a thoughtful, careful and creatively theological study of the ethical issues that surround aging and our desire to postpone death."
Zygon
"Given that life is finite, this brief book that raises many questions in an evocative way is very valuable. . . . Meilaender invites us to love the finite human life."
First Things
"Drawing insights from and making arguments with diverse thinkers and cultural figures from Aristotle to
Groundhog Day, Meilaender shows why aging is good, even as it also can be right to slow it down."
Theological Book Review
"The title of this book might confuse those coming to it without a background in current discussions in bioethics, where the push to bestow upon humans extended and even unending physical life (immortality according to some) has attracted quite a following. . . . The driving force that will bring it about is, we are told, scientific achievement and a new medical revolution whereby medicine will be able to `cure' death and provide dramatically rejuvenated bodies to all and sundry (at least for some in some societies). This is the backdrop for Gilbert Meilaender's very helpful analysis with its assessment of the science of aging, anti-aging remedies, and the narcissistic quest for continued youthfulness. For Meilaender, what is needed is a fuller conception of our humanity together with a richer and fuller understanding of love."
"Meilaender's work frames aging exceptionally well, while bringing his characteristic depth with his rare economy of words."
Farr A. Curlin, MD
-- MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics
"In this masterful little book Gilbert Meilaender interrogates the project to extend human life indefinitely and shows that longer life cannot satisfy the deeply human longings that animate that project. Better, he proposes, to cultivate the virtue of patience in the face of our mortal limits. Not a patience of resignation, but a patience marked by gratitude for the gift of life, including its limits, and by eager hope for the fullness of life promised by the God who died so that we might live."
David H. Smith
-- Yale University
"Gilbert Meilaender has been for several decades one of the two or three most provocative, insightful, and clear writers on religion and ethics. He's not afraid of uncertainty but wants to put it in the right intellectual space. Aging is a topic of extraordinary importance, and not only for those of us who are doing it. Meilaender's style is vintage, disciplined, and forceful."
Thomas G. Long
-- Candler School of Theology
"As we have come to expect from Gilbert Meilaender, this is an intellectually rigorous and probing exploration of an urgent ethical issue. And as we have also come to expect, it is finally an eloquent and wise theological witness. Meilaender calls us to leave behind the futile search for meaning merely in an ever-extended human life span and urges us instead to see life as a journey shaped in freedom by God, who crafts for us a hopeful ending that we cannot always see but can always believe and trust."
Abigail Rian Evans
-- Georgetown University Medical Center
"Meilaender combines a poetic style of writing from a theological perspective with a scientific rigor of analysis to give us a book that is hard to put down. He rightly argues that human flourishing, or virtue, is more crucial than preventing aging or prolonging life."
Interpretation
"This beautifully written little book both summarizes and advances the conversation about retarding the aging process and prolonging life. . . . I recommend it for students and teachers, for pastors and for those who, like me, are aging and reminded of their mortality. It will not eliminate the ambiguities of aging, but it does nurture the comfort and the courage to face those ambiguities and the wisdom for a more faithful journey through them."
Christian Century
"Meilaender argues that the essence of human life is found in a multistage process that has not only a beginning and a middle but also a worldly end. Like Augustine before him, he holds that this human journey, no matter how long it is extended on this planet, can never be complete until it finds rest in God."
Lutheran Quarterly
"A rich, informed, and readable book."
Church Times (UK)
"This is a book that readers will find a thoughtful, careful and creatively theological study of the ethical issues that surround aging and our desire to postpone death."
Zygon
"Given that life is finite, this brief book that raises many questions in an evocative way is very valuable. . . . Meilaender invites us to love the finite human life."
First Things
"Drawing insights from and making arguments with diverse thinkers and cultural figures from Aristotle to
Groundhog Day, Meilaender shows why aging is good, even as it also can be right to slow it down."
Theological Book Review
"The title of this book might confuse those coming to it without a background in current discussions in bioethics, where the push to bestow upon humans extended and even unending physical life (immortality according to some) has attracted quite a following. . . . The driving force that will bring it about is, we are told, scientific achievement and a new medical revolution whereby medicine will be able to `cure' death and provide dramatically rejuvenated bodies to all and sundry (at least for some in some societies). This is the backdrop for Gilbert Meilaender's very helpful analysis with its assessment of the science of aging, anti-aging remedies, and the narcissistic quest for continued youthfulness. For Meilaender, what is needed is a fuller conception of our humanity together with a richer and fuller understanding of love."
Condition Guidelines
Books - New and Used
The following guidelines apply to books:
- New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
Shipping & Delivery
Shipping Fees
- Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
- Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
- No additional fees and charges.
Delivery Times
The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.
Estimated delivery times:
- Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.
Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times.
Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.).
If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.
Returns & Refunds
You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.
Additional non-returnable items:
- Gift cards
- Downloadable software products
- Some health and personal care items
To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
- Book with obvious signs of use
- CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
- Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
- Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.
Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.
If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:
- Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
- Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
- Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.
Shipping Cost
We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
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