What is it like to have dementia? - Epistemological problems and filmic approaches in the bioethical debate

Abstract

The perspectives of those affected play a central role in contemporary bioethics. In the case of dementia, however, these perspectives seem to become increasingly inaccessible. In the last 15 years, there has been a surge of motion pictures that deal with the experience of dementia. This paper explores in how far film can open a new approach to the perspectives of persons affected by dementia and thus contribute to the bioethical discussion. Three filmic approaches are examined, explained on the basis of concrete examples, and discussed from an ethical point of view. The specific potential of film for the bioethical discussion of dementia is hardly exhausted and calls for systematic consideration.