Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2014
EditorialBiophilosophical basis for identifying the death of a person.
The capacity for consciousness and self-awareness is uniquely synonymous with human life and personhood, and its absence is necessary and sufficient to identify that death has occurred. The presence of these functions is uniquely synonymous with human life. Ongoing organ function, response to infection, growth, wound healing, or the ability to sustain an unborn fetus do not alone constitute the unique experience of life and personhood. ⋯ Progressive hypoxia that is seen in many patients after withdrawal of advanced physiologic support leads to apnea and then circulatory arrest. The outward sign of apnea that is then followed by circulatory arrest is the basis for inferring that irreversible loss of capacity for consciousness and self-awareness has occurred and that death can be identified has having occurred. The capacity for consciousness and self-awareness is the only irreplaceable emergent phenomenon—arising from physiologic function of the brain—that is necessary and sufficient to define the life of a person.