7. STIFF ~ EIGHT – HOW TO KNOW IF YOU’RE DEAD – (December 2nd – December 8th) ~ (167-195) ~ No-Spoilers, please

[Peter]

I haven't read this chapter yet, but we do need a single definition of death, and brain death seems to me to make more sense than any other.

[Peter]

We have certainly come up with an exact moment that we define as "death" - cessation of brain activity. Unless I missed it, Roach doesn't get into exactly how we note that cessation.

But this gets into a whole topic that is related to, but not central to, the theme of the book: End of life and end of life care. That's an area with huge moral complications, to be sure.

[Whitney]

I think the finality of choosing organ donation is what stops some people from donating a loved one's organs. Even if you understand at a rational level the person is dead, while the heart is beating you can cling to the small hope that they will live. I think signing the forms for organ donation might feel to some people that they are causing the death when in reality the person is already brain dead. I'm not sure if a better understanding of death would help more people decide to donate a loved one's organs or if it is based off an emotional response that won't change with knowledge.