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5 - Is Ageing Good?

from Part I - Ageing and the Good Life

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 August 2022

C. S. Wareham
Affiliation:
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
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Summary

The very question, Is ageing good?, is odd in several ways, and we do not usually ask it of other life stages. Nonetheless, raising the question is important because it presents the opportunity to counter ageist assumptions that old age is nothing but a period of loss and decline. I suggest a variety of candidate reasons for saying that ageing is good, for ageing persons themselves. These include renewable pleasures; new activities, relationships, and goals; and features distinctive of old age, such as connections with younger generations, long-lasting relationships, and an enriched outlook on life. I also acknowledge the various factors that may readily detract from the goodness of ageing, including poverty, disability, and the loss of family and friends. Hence, whether ageing is good is partially dependent on material and social circumstances. I conclude with three moral and political reasons for affirming that ageing is or can be good.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Is Ageing Good?
  • Edited by C. S. Wareham, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of the Ethics of Ageing
  • Online publication: 23 August 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108861168.006
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  • Is Ageing Good?
  • Edited by C. S. Wareham, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of the Ethics of Ageing
  • Online publication: 23 August 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108861168.006
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Is Ageing Good?
  • Edited by C. S. Wareham, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of the Ethics of Ageing
  • Online publication: 23 August 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108861168.006
Available formats
×