“Special” PHILOSOPHERS’ LUNCH on the topic of Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD): Sunday 7th March, 12.15pm

At 12.15pm on Sunday 7^th March, our Philosophers’ Lunch will be engaging with the subject of Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). The timing of this is quite appropriate given the fact that our South Australian parliament will be debating the VAD bill very shortly. VAD is a multifaceted topic and we hope to cover many of these facets on the day. To help us grapple with one particular aspect, we have a guest speaker, Dr. Russell Shute, GP and Palliative Care Clinician. Russell has kindly agreed to share with us some of his experience in the palliative approach to the alleviation of extreme pain, including its efficacy and its limitations. The intention of this VAD discussion forum is not to convert people to a particular way of thinking, but rather to give us the opportunity to engage openly with the topic, in order to examine its complexities and its human dimension, with the hope that our understanding will be deepened and our perspective broadened through the experience.

I would like to gauge your interest level in attending the Sunday March 7^th event. Can you please email Michael Dowling if you plan to attend (minister@blackwooduc.org.au). For those who have never attended one of our Philosophers’ Lunches, we meet in the Coffee Lounge at 12.15pm. BYO food and drink. The session will probably finish around 2.15pm.

Michael Dowling