Rabinowitz Symposium
This year's Rabinowitz symposium, Approaching Dementia: Creativity and Ethics in Caring was filled to capacity. The event brought together medical clinicians and academics from the University and the community, and served as a forum for widespread conversations. The symposium took place on April 23rd, and was organized by Sara Goering (Professor, UW Philosophy and Program on Values), Janelle Taylor (Professor, UW Anthropology), and Rachel Fredericks (UW Graduate Student, Philosophy). This free public conference was made possible by a donation from the Rabinowitz family to support philosophical work in medical ethics.
Speakers included Agnieszka Jaworski, (Professor, UC, Riverside) who spoke on "Vanishing Persons and the Authority of the Former Self: Dilemmas in Alzheimer's Disease;" Neurologist Peter Whitehouse, MD (Case Western Reserve University), who presented "Caring for Our Demented Selves and Our Distressed Planet: Exploring the Values of Positive Aging and Misguided Neuroethics;" and Theatre Arts Specialist, Anne Basting (Professor, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) who discussed "The Cultural Cure: Creative Engagement and Dementia."
The participants of the symposium were pleased to take time off from their day-to-day work caring for patients with dementia and have philosophical discussions exploring the needs for patients, families, and caregivers.