Death and irreversibility.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The concept of irreversibility plays a central role in most discussions of how to understand and determine human death. This seems to relativize death, since the possibilities of reversal will always depend on circumstance. I discuss the conceptual problems created by this fact, arguing that their seriousness depends on whether we take our conception of death to be a definition or criterion. Relativity is probably not fatal in a definition of death; it might even be desirable in a policy criterion. The concept of permanence is no less philosophically problematic in this context than irreversibility.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)275-281
JournalReviews in the Neurosciences
Volume20
Issue number3-4
Publication statusPublished - 2009
Event5th International Symposium of the Definition of Death Network - Varadero Beach, Cuba
Duration: 2008 May 202008 May 23

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Neurosciences

Free keywords

  • permanence
  • relativity
  • irreversibility
  • criteria
  • death
  • definitions

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