Nr. 4 - 4. Quartal 1997

Definition of Death, Criteria of Death and Organ Replacement: a Philosophical Perspective

M. Quante

In this paper the relations between the definition of death, the brain-death criterion and organ transplantation are analyzed. A philosophical definition of death is defended and the whole-brain-death criterion is suggested as being the best empirical candidate fulfilling the conditions of the definition of death. The higher-brain-death and the brain-stem-death criteria are criticized as not satisfying the conditions demanded by the proposed definition of death. The relations between criteria of death and organ transplantation are also analyzed. Finally some ethical problems are discussed briefly.

Keywords:

Brain-death, brainstem-death, bioethics, death, definition of death, ethics, higher-brain-death, medical ethics, organ transplantation

Kurztitel:

Quante, M. (1997) TxMed 4:211

[Pabst Science Publishers] [Transplantationsmedizin] [Inhalt] [Suchen] [Bestellen]