This article compares the sections on the qualities desirable in a wife in Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī’s Iḥyāʾ ʿulūm al-dīn and Bar Hebraeus’s Ethicon, which the West Syrian writer modeled on al-Ghazālī’s work. The article first establishes that al-Ghazālī based his profile of the ideal wife on a jurisprudential discussion of the topic by his teacher, Imām al-Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī, expanding it, however, by adding anecdotes from Sufi literature and reasoned arguments on how “the good wife” will best facilitate her husband’s devotion (...) to God. The article then moves to consider how Bar Hebraeus appropriates, reconfigures, and reframes as Christian teaching al-Ghazālī’s discussion. Finally, the article argues that the similarity between the two texts demonstrates that both carve out a particular notion of male piety intelligible and resonant in their different religious traditions and in the broader monotheistic culture of the premodern Middle East. (shrink)

A distinction is commonly drawn between continuous sedation until death and physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia. Only the latter is found to involve killing, whereas the former eludes such characterization. I argue that continuous sedation until death is equivalent to physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia in that both involve killing. This is established by first defining and clarifying palliative sedation therapies in general and continuous sedation until death in particular. A case study analysis and a look at current practices are provided. This is followed by a (...) defense of arguments in favor of definitions of death centering on higher brain (neocortical) functioning rather than on whole brain or cardiopulmonary functioning. It is then shown that continuous sedation until death simulates higher brain definitions of death by eliminating consciousness. Appeals to reversibility and double effect fail to establish any distinguishing characteristics between the simulation of death that occurs in continuous sedation until death and the death that occurs as a result of physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia. Concluding remarks clarify the moral ramifications of these findings. (shrink)

Translations, especially of important texts, tend to be controversial. In a collaborative translation, the controversy will start during the process itself, and may persist until the end. In our case this is reflected in two translators’ introductions. Translators and reviewers agree or disagree on the basis of certain principles. There are, one could say, two “schools”: those in favor of more contextual choices of terminology, and those striving for strict consistency. The first will be more inclined to distinguish between “technical” (...) and “non-technical” uses of the same term, and consider this to be part of the translator’s role. The latter will try to avoid making these distinctions, and leave as much room as possible for the reader to decide. The first also tend to see the translation as standing on its own, readily intelligible to those who are without any knowledge of the original language. The latter intend to serve primarily readers who are interested in developing some, progressively better, knowledge of the text in its original language. They will attach more importance to an extensive glossary, which ideally should be applicable to the translated author’s entire corpus. (shrink)

Richard Janko's acclaimed translation of Aristotle's _Poetics_ is accompanied by the most comprehensive commentary available in English that does not presume knowledge of the original Greek. Two other unique features are Janko's translations with notes of both the _Tractatus Coislinianus_, which is argued to be a summary of the lost second book of the Poetics, and fragments of Aristotle’s dialogue On Poets, including recently discovered texts about catharsis, which appear in English for the first time.

Background: The demand for autonomy in medical decision making is increasing among Korean people, but it is not well known why some people prefer autonomy in decision making but others do not. Research objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which Korean adults wished to exercise autonomy in the process of decision making regarding end-of-life treatment and to determine whether economic issues and family functioning, in particular, were associated with preferences for participation in decision making (...) in Korean people. Research design: This study was a cross-sectional correlational study using a survey. Participants and research context: Data were collected using structured questionnaires from 354 patients or their families who visited ambulatory departments at two general hospitals in South Korea, recruited by the proportionate quota sampling method. Data analysis was performed using multinomial logistic regression analyses. Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the hospitals’ directors and the ethics committee of Kyungpook National University Hospital. Written informed consent was given by all participants. Findings: A majority of Korean people wanted to make autonomous decisions regarding treatment at the end of life. Preferences for autonomous decision making regarding end-of-life treatment, rather than relying on family, showed a significant increase in association with poor family functioning and low income. Discussion: Results of this study suggested the necessity for development of alternatives to a dominant traditional “family-centered” approach in Korean people, in order to enhance end-of-life decision making for people who wish to take an active role in the decision-making process. Conclusion: Healthcare providers need to examine not only patients’ preferred decision-making style but also any reasons for their choice, in particular, family conflict and financial burden. (shrink)