Death: The Loss of Life-Constitutive Integration Cover Image

Death: The Loss of Life-Constitutive Integration
Death: The Loss of Life-Constitutive Integration

Author(s): Doyen Nguyen
Subject(s): History of Philosophy, Philosophical Traditions, Social Philosophy
Published by: Instytut Filozofii Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: constitution theory; Lockean view; organism as a whole; life-constitutive integration; ‘higher brain death’

Summary/Abstract: This discussion note aims to address the two points which Lizza raises regarding my critique of his paper “Defining Death: Beyond Biology,” namely that I mistakenly attribute a Lockean view to his ‘higher brain death’ position and that, with respect to the ‘brain death’ controversy, both the notions of the organism as a whole and somatic integration are unclear and vague. First, it is known from the writings of constitutionalist scholars that the constitution view of human persons, a theory which Lizza also holds, has its roots in John Locke’s thought. Second, contrary to Lizza’s claims, the notions of the organism as a whole and somatic integration are both more than adequately described in the biomedical and biophilosophical literature.

  • Issue Year: 16/2019
  • Issue No: 60
  • Page Range: 72-78
  • Page Count: 7
  • Language: English