Death Issues and Concerns

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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Death Issues and Concerns