I do not recall during the years I worked on social policy on old age within the U.S. government many discussions, which actively engaged in the philosophical issues aired in the essay that is today’s mailing. Perhaps, that is why, while I was reading it, coincidentally, on my 88th birthday, I decided it was worth sharing.

Yes, it is published in a journal whose politics are very different than mine. Yes, its perspective seems somewhat too religious for my taste. Still, by focusing on the meaning of dependence at a time when expected lifespans are expanding and fertility rates are declining, it raises enormously important questions about the provision of care to the elderly.

Thus, I commend it to your consideration, if for no other reason than the hope that it will stimulate thought and discussion about the underlying issue of dependence. In that regard, I found the comments on the essay quite fascinating and hope that, after reading the essay, you will, also, look at them.