In the ancient Greek dialogue, Crito, Plato provides a portrait of his mentor, Socrates, only days before his death, and while the death scene itself is left to another dialogue, it is in Crito that Socrates explains why he would rather die in prison than live in exile (Plato 1997). The conversation is instructive on many levels, and one aspect that merits greater attention is the extent to which Socrates's cultivated character relates to the decision at hand. In particular, the dialogue raises issues concerning decisions at the end of life, decisions faced (in admittedly much different ways) by a multitude of patients, patient families, friends, and healthcare providers.