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8/6/2019 Death Issues and Concerns
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DEATH ISSUES AND
CONCERNS
Report by: Lucila O. Lugo
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Of all living beings, only man knowsthat he will die sometime, somehow,and somewhere.
Depending upon how one looks at it,this verity may be taken either as an
advantage or disadvantage, ablessing or curse.
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Our impending death keeps us in anxiety andanguish, for we can never know how, when,and where it will happen, even if we are
certain it will definitely occur.At the moment an individual is born, his
journey towards death begins.
No matter how strong, powerful, affluent,and well-situated an individual may be, hisstrength, power, affluence, are no avail whendeath summons him.
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Why all these hassles about death?Isnt it as natural to die as it is to beborn? Why do we seem to give somuch importance to it?
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Well, death appears to be simple and naturalas we may think of it, but the scientificadvance we have initiated and the
technological culture in which we live haveraised a hose of questions and problems withrespect to death.
While science and technology have given us
solutions to many of our problems, they havealso created different predicaments affectingour ordinary concept of death.
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the needto redefine
death
Redefine to know or be able to
determine the exact point in time when aperson is dead
Why is there a need to redefine death?
1. There is a widespread and increasinguse of new devices for prolonging lifesuch as life-support machines.
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With the use of life-sustaining devices, weare able to prolong life for a considerableperiod, or even to save a persons life from
impending death.However, there are occasions or situationswhen, instead of prolonging or saving life,we are only prolonging the dying processand the suffering or the dying individual.
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If we can only determine the exact point in time whena person is dead, with or without the use of life-maintaining machines, then there is no need to attachthe dying person to these devices for 3 obvious
reasons:To avoid paying the numerous expenses to be incurred
To eliminate the suffering of the dying individual(beneficence)
To be able to use these life-support machines forpatients who have better chances of survival, mostespecially if the demand to use them is greater than thesupply.
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2. There is a great demand forcadaver organs for transplantations.
The chances of successful organictransplant are higher if the requiredorgan is removed from the cadaver
immediately after death, usually interminal cases.
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severaldefinitionsof
death
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEFINITION
A person is dead when the heart has stoppedbeating.
Since blood and breath are essential to thecontinuation of life, when people stop breathing
and pulsation stops, they are pronounced dead.Dying process is prolonged with the use ofmechanical respirator.
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RELIGIOUS/PHILOSOPHICAL DEFINITIONDeath means the separation of the soul and thebody.
Soul principle of life; animates and gives form tothe body, making it distinctively human withrationality and freedom
When the soul departs from the body, the personceases to be human, and death occurs because the
substantial union of body and soul has been dissolved.
Has weakness because there is an uncertaintyregarding the precise time of souls departure.
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BRAIN DEATH DEFINITION
A condition in which the brain is completelydestroyed, and in which the cessation of functionof all other organs are imminent and inevitable
By and through the use of electro-encephalography (EEG) and electro-cardiogram(ECG), health professionals can determine the totalor irreversible loss of circulatory and respiratory
functions.Absence of : receptivity and responsiveness,movement or breathing and reflexes
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CELLULAR DEFINITIONDisintegration and breakdown of themetabolic processes of the bodys
substance.Considers the irreversible loss of neo-cortical activity as the only significant
criterion, because it eliminates all capacityfor consciousness and all social integrationpossible.
Needs an EEG.
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The foregoing definitions have one thing in
common:
Death is the cessation of life
The total arrest of both intellectual and
physiological functions in an individualTotal ceasing of the circulation of blood and of allvital functions, such as respiration and pulsation
Jewish, Roman Catholic and Protestant
scholars agree that the complete and permanentabsence of any brain-related vital bodily functionmeans that an individual is dead at least forpurposes of definition.
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The irreversible cessation of all vital bodilyfunctions are accepted as reasonably accurateindicators which are adequate justificationsfor allowing such processes as embalming and
autopsy.Leading spokesmen of widely rangingtraditions consider brain-related criteria forpronouncing death.
Brain death is consonant with biblicalpronouncements of what constitutes anacceptable definition of death.
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To treat a human being who has irreversibleloss all brain functions as if he were still aliveseems to be an affront to that person.
Maintenance of a dead person on life-supportsystems for no reason at all is an irresponsiblesquandering of economical and socialresources
Such a practice places unnecessary financialburden and emotional burden on thepersons family which is morally wrong.
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AttitudestowardsdeathCOGNITIVE
Attitudes which indicates how dying individualsthink about death include acceptance and denial
AFFECTIVE
Attitudes which bear out the feelings of the
dying individual may include depression, senseof loss, and fear.
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BEHAVIORAL
Attitudes includes anger or irritability,bargaining, resentment, and fear
Ex. of expressions:
Ang daming taong masasama, bakit hindi pasila ang nagdaranas ng ganito? (bitter andresentful)
Diyos ko, huwag naman muna sana ngayon,maliliit pa ang aking mga anak! (bargaining)
Ayaw ko pang mamatay. (fear)
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SeveralviewsofdeathNIKOLAI BERDYAEV
Russian theologian
Without death, life would be meaningless.
Our last hope lies in death
Death is only a path, or an intermission
number between the present and hereafterImmortality- can be attained only throughdeath; deaths great paradox
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EPICURUS
Athenean thinker
Either there is immortality or there is none. Ifthere is, then we should be glad there is death, foronce we are dead, we shall become immortal; ifthere is none, then death is our final liberationfrom pain and suffering. We should not fear deathbut be happy about it.
If we are still alive, death has not yet come; butonce we are dead, then death cannot touch usanymore. Therefore, whether we are alive or dead,death cannot touch us. We should not fear death.
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MARTIN HEIDEGGER
Death is a completion of life.
FILIPINOS
Sa kabaong at libingan ang lahat ay pantay-pantay; dukhat kardinal magkaparis kungmamatay.
Death is a great equalizer, for as far as the coffinand the grave are concerned, all are equal; whetheryou are a poor individual or a cardinal, you are alikewhen you die.
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ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST
Quotes Jesus Christ as saying: I am theresurrection and the life; he that believes
in me, though he were dead, shall liveagain; and whoever lives and believes inme shall never die (11:25-26)
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Application ofethical
theories
NATURAL LAW ETHICS
Death is a part of naturePerson is dead once the soul leaves the body
Do not disagree with brain death definition
Extraordinary medical measures when vitalfunctions of the brain completely stops isuseless
Let nature take its own course
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UTILITARIAN PRINCIPLE
Brain death definition seems to be good inkeeping with the utility percept
Even the donations of transplantable vital organs,at least with informed consent, is warranted by thegreatest happiness for the greatest numberprinciple
PRAGMATISTIts notion of practicality, usefulness, andbeneficiality may justify the application of the braindeath definition issue in the medical context.
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SITUATION ETHICS
Joseph Fletcher accepts brain-related criteria forpronouncing death with conjunction with botheuthanasia and organic transplantations
RAWLS CONCEPT OF JUSTICE
May justify the unplugging of life-sustainingmachines if and when they are no longer useful to
the dying person so that they will not prolong hissuffering
The same with Ross twofold principle by which toresolve conflicting duties
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THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING :)