Determination of death: Metaphysical and biomedical discourse

Area of Science:

• Philosophy of Medicine
• Bioethics
• Medical Humanities

Background:

• Current biomedical criteria for determining death, particularly brain death, often overshadow metaphysical, anthropological, psychosocial, cultural, religious, and legal dimensions.
• This narrow focus limits a comprehensive understanding of human life's value and essence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the complementary relationship between metaphysical and biomedical approaches to death.
• To critically analyze theoretical, scientific, and legal evidence regarding the determination of death.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and critical appraisal of theoretical and scientific evidence.
• Analysis of legal documents and philosophical discourse on death.
• Examination of ontological and epistemological aspects of death determination.

Main Results:

• Metaphysical discourse separates 'what death is' (ontology) from 'how to determine death' (epistemology).
• 20th-century views distinguished between humans as subjects of activities versus subjects of being.
• Debates on brain death reveal body-centric and mind-centric perspectives, highlighting human death as both biomedical and metaphysical.

Conclusions:

• Over-reliance on clinical criteria medicalizes death and restricts a holistic perspective.
• Integrating metaphysical and biomedical approaches is crucial for a balanced and comprehensive understanding of death.
• Balancing these perspectives can decrease the over-medicalization of the concept of death.