IPS Update Issue July 2018

(IPS Commons)
By Professor Tommy Koh

'We need technologists who understand the humanities and humanists who understand technology.'

Prof Tommy Koh recently spoke at the 2018 Humanities Symposium, where he offered his ideas on how we could make sense of our world and develop a society by bringing together the best of the sciences and the arts, particularly in educating our young.

By Yvonne Arivalagan

End-of-life planning remains a taboo subject for many Singaporeans. We need to raise awareness among all communities and groups.

In this article, IPS Research Associate Yvonne Arivalagan discusses why early end-of-life planning matters for us and our loved ones, and provides information on tools available such as Advance Care Planning (ACP), the Advance Medical Directive (AMD), the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and wills.

These tools offer individuals and their loved ones the opportunity to have critical and meaningful conversations about their values and preferences, and thus possibly reduce regret and suffering at the end of life.

In sum, end-of-life planning is a matter of personal rights, responsibilities and self-determination. It can help people avoid the unnecessary and at times painful prolongation of death in a time of advanced medical technology, and reduce financial and emotional stress during the final phase of life.

It has been acknowledged that the government gives a considerable amount of funding to the arts, but several questions have been raised about how and where the money is distributed. In the fifth of six roundtables of the IPS-SAM Spotlight on Cultural Policy Series, jointly organised by IPS and the Singapore Art Museum, policymakers, experts, artists and arts practitioners got together to discuss the relationship between government funding and the pursuit of artistic excellence.

The inaugural IPS Community Forum brought together members of the public, individuals and groups from the voluntary and non-profit sector to discuss what a “community” means and how to create it. Six initiatives were presented that showcased the ability of the community to self-organise towards social good.