Death and the right to die: a philosophical reflection in the light of contemporary hermeneutics

The present philosophical essay aims to reflect on questions related to the prolongation of the biological life of the individual beyond its autonomy, under Gadamer's Philosophical Hermeneutics. The dying process takes on different meanings for people of different cultures. For some people, it means the end of everything, for others, it is a passage to a better or worse life. Health professionals have the arduous task of dealing directly with pain and suffering, and have the responsibility for determining prognoses and treatments. With the advancement of technology to maintain life, numerous interventions are carried out to avoid death, using a variety of resources to keep people alive. In this endeavor, death ceases to be a natural process, and there is a risk of prolonging the suffering implied by the dying process. Thus, the work of those who deal with the limits of life and death every day raises permanent questions. Reflections on the anxieties related to the death of the other, as a preparation for dealing with a terminal patient, are necessary to offer a more sensitive approach.