25 Discussion Questions for Being Mortal by Atul Gawande (With Analysis) | Chapterly Blog
Atul Gawande's Being Mortal is one of the most important books written about aging, dying, and what medicine can and cannot do, and these Being Mortal discussion questions are designed to help you engage critically with its arguments about autonomy, dignity, and the limits of medical intervention. Whether you are reading this for a book club, a medical ethics course, a healthcare professional group, or personal reflection as you navigate aging in your own family, these questions will help you think deeply about the choices we all face. Published in 2014, the book argues that modern medicine has become excellent at prolonging life but terrible at helping people live well in their final years. Gawande, a surgeon and public health researcher, draws on research, patient stories, and his own father's illness to make the case that what matters most at the end of life is not more treatment but more meaning — the ability to shape your own story and maintain the things that make life worth living. These 25 questions are organized by theme. Being Mortal Discussion Questions: Aging and Independence Gawande opens by tracing the dramatic historical shift in how societies manage aging -- from multigenerational households to...