Defining Death

1. Defining Death: An IntroductionThe Emergence of the ControversyThree Groups of DefinitionsThe Emergence of a Uniform Brain-Oriented DefinitionIrreversible vs. Permanent Loss of FunctionDefining Death and Transplanting OrgansThe Structure of the Book 2. The Dead Donor Rule and the Concept of DeathThe Dead Donor RuleCandidates for a Concept of "Death"The Public Policy Question 3. The Whole-Brain Concept of DeathThe Case for the Whole-Brain ConceptCriteria for the Destruction of All Brain FunctionsProblems with the Whole-Brain DefinitionAlternatives to the Whole-Brain Definition 4. The Circulatory, or Somatic, Concept of DeathTwo Measurements of DeathCirculatory Death and Organ ProcurementThe DCD ProtocolsShewmon's Somatic ConceptThe Two Definitions of the US President's Council on Bioethics 5. The Higher-Brain Concept of DeathWhich Brain Functions Are Critical?Altered States of Consciousness: A ContinuumMeasuring the Loss of Higher-Brain FunctionAncillary TestsThe Legal Status of Death 6. The Conscience Clause: How Much Individual Choice Can Our Society Tolerate in Defining Death?The Present State of the LawConcepts, Criteria, and the Role of Value PluralismExplicit Patient Choice, Substituted Judgment, and Best InterestLimits on the Range of DiscretionThe Problem of Order: Objections to a Conscience ClauseImplementation of a Conscience ClauseConclusion 7. Crafting a New Definition-of-Death LawIncorporating the Higher-Brain-Function NotionThe Conscience ClauseClarification of the Concept of "Irreversibility"A Proposed New Definition of Death for Public Policy PurposesConclusion