D eat

and its

h
Redefinition
FEAR MYSTERY

DOUBT REGRET
 DEFINITIONS OF DEATH
 Permanent cessation of all bodily function
 The action or fact of dying or being killed
 Death has been traditionally seen as the departure of the soul from the body
 Death occurs when an individual who has sustained either irreversible
cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions or irreversible cessation
of all the functions of the entire brain.
BRAIN DEATH

Brain death is the total and irreversible loss

of all brain function and the circumstance
under which the donation
c
of vital organs
most commonly takes place.
WHY DO WE NEED
TO REDEFINE
DEATH?
DEFINITIONS OF DEATH
Physiological Definition of Death
 Physiological death occurs when the
vital organs no longer function. The
digestive and respiratory systems begin
to shut down during the gradual process
of dying.
 the heart stopped beating , this is the
traditional understanding of death.
Religious or Philosophical Definition
 Separation of the soul and body.
 The concept of spiritual death has
varying meanings in various uses and
contexts. A "spiritually dead" person
may mean someone who is
not spiritual (materialist, atheist) one who
identifies himself with dead matter, though
he is a living conscious being.
DEFINITIONS OF DEATH
Somatic Death or Cellular Death
Brain Dead Definition
Definition
 Complete loss of brain function.
 The death of the organism as a whole,
 It differs from persistent vegetative state, in
usually precedes the death of the
which the person is alive and some autonomic
functions remain. Patients classified as brain- individual organs, cells and parts of cells,
dead can have their organs surgically removed Marked by cessation of heartbeat,
for organ donation. respiration, movement, reflexes, and brain
 When someone is brain dead, it means that activity.
the brain is no longer working in any capacity  Disintegration and breakdown of
and never will again. Other organs, such as the metabolic processes of body’s substance.
heart, kidneys or liver, can still work for a
short time if the breathing machine is left in
place, but when brain death is declared, it
means the person has died.
 TYPES OF DEATH
Timely Death Untimely Death

Any death that takes place

Defined as death caused
at an unusually early age, or
solely by disease or natural
before the person's potential
process. 
has been fully realized.
(terminal disease state)
(accidents and violence)
 TYPES OF DEATH
Intentional Unintentional Subintentional

• Suicide- Death from Refers to Subintentional

self-inflicted injury a death resulting from suicide/death occurs
with evidence of an unusual event that when the actions or
intent to die.  was unanticipated by behaviors of a person
•  Homicide- The everyone involved. It indirectly causes
action of one person should not be intended, their death. 
directly causing the expected, or foreseeable. (substance use)
death of another. (trauma or disease)
STAGES OF A DYING PERSON

Anger or
Shock and Rage
Depression Acceptance
Denial /Resentment
Bargaining
ATTITUDES TOWARDS
DEATH
Cognitive Affective
• how we think about death • how we feel about death
(acceptance or denial) (sense of loss, depression, fear)

Behavioral
• anger or irritability, emotionally
upset, bitter, resentful
ATTITUDES TOWARDS DEATH
ACROSS THE LIFE CYCLE:
 Under 5 yrs old- Animistic; Death is
separation similar to sleep.
 Ages 5 – 10 yrs old- Developing
sense of mortality; Fear of
abandonment if parents die.
 Puberty- Able to conceptualize death
as realistic, universal, irreversible,
and inevitable.
 Adolescence- Preoccupied with
issues related to body image and
control of environment.
 Young Adults- Focus on issues like
not having chance to marry or have
children or if married having to
leave spouse and children. May
also fear threats of potential
isolation.
 Middle-aged Adults- May feel
frustrated in hopes to become
involved with next generation.
 Elderly- Must confront increasing
reality of own mortality.
NIKOLAI BERDYAEV
EPICURUS
“ Death can give meaning to life, “ We should be glad there is death,
without death, life is meaningless”. because we shall become immortal”
MARTIN HEIDEGGER JESUS
CHRIST
“ Death as a completion of life” “I am the resurrection and the
Death as “equalizers of men” life, he that believes in me,
though dead will live again and
whoever believe in Me shall
never die”
 THE CASE OF JAHI MCMATH
On December 9,2013, Jahi Mcmath, 14 years old, suffered massive blood loss
and cardiac arrest during a routine procedure. This event caused her to be declared
brain dead. Although doctors performed the necessary tests to prove that she was
truly brain dead and offered the family the choice of Jahi becoming a potential
organ donor, the family rejected it believing in their belief that the child was not
fully dead because life support devices kept her ‘alive’ in a sense. Despite a lengthy
and controversial trial, the family was allowed to keep Jahi on life support lasting
for as long as four and a half years. During this time, she had three menstrual cycles
and her body continued to grow despite being declared brain dead. For the past two
years she was able to slowly exhibit movement which was an indicator that her
motor function was slowly returning, meaning her brain was not fully dead.
Unfortunately, during an operation performed to explain her situation, she suffered
another attack and was unable to be revived.