BEING-FOR-DEATH: THE QUOTIDIAN AND THE AUTHENTIC

Abstract

A phenomenological analysis on the theme death performed in a movie entitled “Whose life is this after all?”. The study has the purpose of understanding the behaviors manifested by the actors regarding patient’s option towards his death. The movie picture occurs in an hospital environment. Scenes that envolve a tetraplegic patient, the medical and nursing team that take care of him, and his girlfriend. The analysis was based on Martin Heidegger’s thoughts about human existence. It showed that health professionals are used to face death as a failure and as an enemy to win. As a result of the analysis the authors bring up reflections concerning nurses behaviors in coping with death situations in their daily practice.

Keywords

• Attitude to death
• Death
• Existentialism