A Good Death – how do we measure the value of ‘a life’?

Over at http://unfspb.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/a-good-death/#more-336 there is an interesting discussion that arises out of the death of the actor Heath Ledger.

His death is often described in media reports as a ‘tragedy’ – but how do we balance the value of a young life lost and an old life? Is the length the aspect that prevents us from seeing a death as tragic?

Does the author at UNFSB really think that Heath’s death was a ‘good’ one? Or is the idea of a short, wonderful life being better than a long, but maybe bland one a useful corrective to our usual view – or a naive and overly-romantic notion?

dave