- Overview
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This book is an introduction to how to face death with grace by Professor Choi Joon-sik.
- Book Intro
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What is a dignified death? How should we prepare to part with our loved ones? Professor Choi Joon-sik answers these questions with Before It's Too Late: A Thanological Lecture, a guide to facing death. This book is a practical guide for anyone who is interested in death, as well as the terminally ill who are at the forefront of death. In his previous work, Before It's Too Late: A Philosophical Study of Death, Choi delved into the nature of death and the world thereafter. In this new book, he dives deeper into the subject with a focus on practical preparations for a dignified death. It explores the long process of death in stages, from the moment of recognition to bereavement after death, and examines the attitudes for coping with death by the immediate person and surrounding members such as family and medical professionals.
This book explains that the provision of meaningless care should be avoided to face death with grace. This is because forced medical examinations and treatments can cause great pain to those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Massive medical bills can even cause economic distress and bankruptcy. Choi proposes a deep consideration of dying comfortably through pain relief instead of spending one's last stage of life in turmoil.
Preparing for death should start early. Contemplating life and death to prepare, both materially and spiritually, for the eventual end of life is difficult to accomplish in a short period of time. This is why we need to start preparing for the end even if death is not imminent.
Death is also a matter of choice, like other aspects of life. When death is acknowledged rather than avoided, it can protect the dignity and value of a human being. When we prepare for death, we learn how to live the rest of our lives. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in a complete life, from patients with terminal illnesses and their families to medical professionals.
- About the Author
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Choi Joon-sik
Choi, Joon-Sik studied History (Korean History) at Sogang University and Religious Studies at Temple University (Doctor of Religious Studies). In 1992, he began to study Korean culture extensively after joining the faculty of Korean Studies at Ewha Woman’s University. In the mid-1990s, he created the “International Korean Society,” and studied Korean culture from various angles, along with fellow scholars such as Professor Kim Bong-ryul (now President of the Korea National University of Arts) and the late Professor Oh-Ju-Seok. Since then, he has established the “Hanmunpyo” corporation, to introduce our art culture in the form of performances, and has created a multicultural space, “The K-Culture Center”, to inform the public about Korean culture in general.