| I think you misunderstand me, which is mostly my fault for not writing more clearly. Don't worry, your fears are not realized. I have dedicated my life and career to treating cancer patients, prolonging their overall survival however incremental. My avocation is exactly what you talk about when you talk about the tire, sock, or tree. Every day I wake up and do that, and it's just not possible if one does not want their patients to live longer with good quality of life. I think nihilism exists only there if you view death as the ultimate end of everything. My view is the very opposite, that life has meaning and death is a part of life, and so it too has meaning. So you and I agree on that. I try to get my patients to view death as meaningful too when it cannot be avoided. At the same time, where I think the misunderstanding takes place is this: I too have also seen chemotherapy and radiation and surgery injure and kill patients prematurely. People should listen up if their doctor is telling them to hold off on additional treatment. It's not giving up, but in the vein of "do not harm." It may shorten your life. Some articles for you to consider Early Palliative care prolongs life
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1000678 This article captures it well
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/health/20doctors.html |