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Death and irreversibility.

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Author

Summary, in English

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.

Publishing year

2009

Language

English

Pages

275-281

Publication/Series

Reviews in the Neurosciences

Volume

20

Issue

3-4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Freund Publishing House Ltd

Topic

  • Neurosciences

Keywords

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

Conference name

5th International Symposium of the Definition of Death Network

Conference date

2008-05-20 - 2008-05-23

Conference place

Varadero Beach, Cuba

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0334-1763