When does human life end?

[james bond]

When does human life end?

Is it when the heart stops?

When brain activity ceases?

When someone's ability to understand what is happening around them goes away? When their memories and cogent thoughts cease to form?

The Bible says when one stops breathing. "When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish." Psalm 146 4

That leads to...

No oxygen to the body, the heart stops pumping blood and oxygen, the brain dies rather quickly from this, and eventually the cells die. Complete death is when all your cells die. One can still resuscitate is they can get your breathing and heart going again.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

The Bible says when one stops breathing. "When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish." Psalm 146 4

That leads to...

No oxygen to the body, the heart stops pumping blood and oxygen, the brain dies rather quickly from this, and eventually the cells die. Complete death is when all your cells die. One can still resuscitate is they can get your breathing and heart going again.

So then it's not when you stop breathing...?

 

[james bond]

So then it's not when you stop breathing...?

Stopping breathing is the start. It doesn't specify the exact moment of death, but I think stopping breathing is the start unless you can be resuscitated.

You can look here to see what it says. It's not exactly related to your question.

What Does the Bible Say About Death?

Bible verses about Death

www.openbible.info

ETA: This may be a good time to add that if you have trouble breathing, then it's time to call 911 if you are alone. My mom did this in the middle of the night after she woke up. I took her to emergency about six times and she was rescued each time except the last. With my dogs, I took them to vet once. Usually, you know if they're old or sick that their time is near or has come.

 

[cnm]

That's circular.

That's Skye. An ocean wide and half an inch deep...

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Stopping breathing is the start

Or sometimes a heart failure comes first. Then breathing stops after.

When you are beheaded, it all stops at the same time. So when did life end, in the beheading?

 

[james bond]

Or sometimes a heart failure comes first. Then breathing stops after.

When you are beheaded, it all stops at the same time. So when did life end, in the beheading?

You're right. I suppose if you have sharp heart pains or irregular heart beat, then it's time to call 911. You may not have trouble breathing or would it cause trouble with breathing?

One of my dogs that died due to a bad heart really slowed down for a couple of days due to what looked like heart issues. He was fine until we were about to go out. He would go out the door, then really slow down and didn't get past the mail box for two days straight. On the third day, he didn't even want to go out and then laid down and died.

 

[frigidweirdo]

When does human life end?

Is it when the heart stops?

When brain activity ceases?

When someone's ability to understand what is happening around them goes away? When their memories and cogent thoughts cease to form?

Monday mornings.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Okay, but do you mean brain dead, but still alive? Like, a vegetable?

I mean like a dead animal, as in no detectable brain stem activity. For example, no detectable response when repeatedly poked all over with a needle. No detectable response meaning no self-induced pulse, breath, movement, or electrical activity. This includes animals that we may mistakenly refer to as "vegetables" -- animals being distinct from vegetables for good reason.

post-harvest vegetables and fruits can in fact continue to perceive light and, as a result, their biological clocks keep on ticking. That's an advantage to the plants because it allows them to alter levels of important chemicals that protect them from being eaten by insects and other herbivores, the researchers found. When eaten by us, some of those same phytochemicals also have anti-cancer effects.

Coma is not death.

The patient in the deepest coma will show some EEG electroactivity, while the brain-dead patient will not.

Legal, medical death. Ethical considerations aside. People must often decide whether or not to "pull the plug" so to speak. People shall continue to wrestle with whether a potential for meaningful, dignified human existence continues to warrant life sustaining efforts or palliative care on a case by case basis. If no one remembers or particularly cares about a person, they'll likely die of neglect rather quickly. Useless or not, the rich will be sustained longer and with much rejoicing.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Or sometimes a heart failure comes first. Then breathing stops after.

When you are beheaded, it all stops at the same time. So when did life end, in the beheading?

If you fast freeze the head, who knows? Some day we'll have brain transplants. There's a human life so long as the brain functions. The rest of the body not so much. If you cut a plant off at the root it will often sprout new roots when immediately placed in water. Doesn't work with brains.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

If you fast freeze the head, who knows? Some day we'll have brain transplants. There's a human life so long as the brain functions. The rest of the body not so much. If you cut a plant off at the root it will often sprout new roots when immediately placed in water. Doesn't work with brains.

I on the other hand believe we will never, not ever, have brain transplants. Every single human develops their nerve connections differently, both in different locations and in different number. And the brain stem is the mother lode in terms of nerves

 

[Grumblenuts]

I on the other hand believe we will never, not ever, have brain transplants. Every single human develops their nerve connections differently, both in different locations and in different number. And the brain stem is the mother lode in terms of nerves

I started wondering to what extent a brain suddenly separated from the body could still perceive its environment and perhaps think.

Danton wanted his head to be shown, but could he see or hear the people? Was he conscious, even for a brief moment? How did his brain shut down?

 

[james bond]

I mean like a dead animal, as in no detectable brain stem activity.

I agree. That means for certain, but with today's technology they may be able to bring you back within reason. They say brain cells may live for up to eight hours after brain death.

Consciousness After Death: Strange Tales From the Frontiers of Resuscitation Medicine

Sam Parnia practices resuscitation medicine. In other words, he helps bring people back from the dead -- and some return with stories. Their tales could help save lives, and even change scientific ideas about the nature of consciousness.

www.wired.com

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

I agree. That means for certain, but with today's technology they may be able to bring you back within reason. They say brain cells may live for up to eight hours after brain death.

Consciousness After Death: Strange Tales From the Frontiers of Resuscitation Medicine

Sam Parnia practices resuscitation medicine. In other words, he helps bring people back from the dead -- and some return with stories. Their tales could help save lives, and even change scientific ideas about the nature of consciousness.

www.wired.com

Oh boy... "return stories"

This is the science section. "Hallucinations" will do.

 

[Grumblenuts]

I've witnessed chickens running around with their heads cut off. Still couldn't quote the price of tea in China though.

 

[james bond]

Oh boy... "return stories"

This is the science section. "Hallucinations" will do.

Do you know that hospitals have death rooms like they have birth rooms? I don't know about Sam Parnia enough to trust it, but the scientists must have made some progress in resuscitation. Obviously, you want to save lives first, but after that it's resuscitation.

 

[Esdraelon]

So, you mean when brain activity ceases.

That's my understanding. That usually occurs within a minute or less of the pump stopping flow of oxygen to the brain. We're talking about the death of the body though. There are thousands of people who have experienced heart stoppage, even flatline on EEG and still are resuscitated with modern medical measures. They've reported some pretty amazing and relatively similar experiences that make a good case for consciousness being non-local and continuing after biological death.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

That's my understanding. That usually occurs within a minute or less of the pump stopping flow of oxygen to the brain. We're talking about the death of the body though. There are thousands of people who have experienced heart stoppage, even flatline on EEG and still are resuscitated with modern medical measures. They've reported some pretty amazing and relatively similar experiences that make a good case for consciousness being non-local and continuing after biological death.

Continuing, maybe, but certainly not for long. The limits on resuscitation are pretty short

Maybe the brain can "die" and come back a few minutes later. A few hours? No.

So we are still left with the question, kind of. What's a reasonable time to wait?

 

[.oldschool]

Pig brains kept alive outside body for hours after death

Revival of disembodied organs raises slew of ethical and legal questions about the nature of death and consciousness.

www.nature.com

 

[Mr Natural]

We are our brain. So when that’s gone, we’re gone.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Pig brains kept alive outside body for hours after death

Revival of disembodied organs raises slew of ethical and legal questions about the nature of death and consciousness.

www.nature.com

Yeah, but once interrogated, they proved hopelessly confused. "Baa-ram-ewe! Baa-ram-ewe! To your breed, your fleece, your clan be true! Sheep be true! Baa-ram-ewe!"