Stephen G. Post

Stephen G. Post is Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University. He was previously (1988-2008) Professor, Department of Bioethics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and Senior Research Scholar at the Becket Institute of St. Hugh's College, Oxford.

Post (Ph.D. University of Chicago, 1983) served as editor-in-chief of the definitive reference work in the field of bioethics, the third edition of the five-volume "Encyclopedia of Bioethics" (Macmillan Reference, 2004). He developed a specialty in issues surrounding developmental cognitive disabilities and dementia, areas of research for which he is known internationally. He is an elected member of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel of Alzheimer's Disease International, and was recognized for “distinguished service” by the Association’s National Board for educational efforts in bringing ethical issues to Association Chapters and families throughout the United States (1998). In 2003 Post was elected a Member of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia for "distinguished contributions to medicine." His book entitled "The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease: Ethical Issues from Diagnosis to Dying" (The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000, 2nd edition) was widely influential. He published numerous important works pertaining to dementia on topics such as genetic testing, anti-aging technologies, and caregiver spirituality.

Post, however, is equally recognized as a leader in the integrative study of love, altruism, and compassion in the context of scientific research (neurology, evolutionary psychology, healthcare,and human development), philosophy, religion, ethics, and professionalism. He is President of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, a 501 (c)(3) established in July 2001 with support from philanthropist John Templeton and the Templeton Foundation. The Institute has supported high level empirical research at more than fifty universities on topics such as unselfish love, compassion, care, kindness, and altruism. It fosters scientifically informed discussion at the interface of science, altruistic love, the humanities, and religious thought. Post became interested in these topics while a youth at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, where he studied with the distinguished African-American Rev. John T. Walker, who later became Dean of the National Cathedral. Post ([e-mail]) is a life-long member of the Episcopal Church.

Popular publications

*"Why Good Things Happen to Good People: The Exciting New Research That Proves the Link Between Doing Good and Living a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life" by Stephen Post, Ph.D. and Jill Neimark, 2007, 294 pages, Broadway Books, ISBN 978-0-7679-2017-9

References

*Frisbie, David. [http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/reviews/why-good-things-happen-to-good-people "Why Good Things Happen to Good People (book review)".] "Armchair Interviews". Accessed 24 June 2007

*John Templeton Foundation. [http://www.templeton.org/questions/good/ "Interview with Dr. Stephen Post."] 14 May 2007. Accessed 24 June 2007.

External links

* [http://www.case.edu/med/bioethics/sgp2.htm Stephen Post's homepage at Case Western Reserve University]
* [http://www.unlimitedloveinstitute.org Institute for Research on Unlimited Love]
* [http://www.science-spirit.org/article_detail.php?article_id=384 Science & Spirit Interview with Stephen Post]