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A Defining Analysis of the Life and Death Dyad: Paving the Way for an Ethical Debate

  1. Giovanni Boniolo
  1. IFOM, Firc Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy; Dipartimento di Medicina, Chirurgia ed Odontoiatria, University of Milano, Milano, Italy
  2. Dipartimento di Medicina, Chirurgia ed Odontoiatria, University of Milano, Milano, Italy; IFOM, Firc Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
  1. Pier Paolo Di Fiore
  1. IFOM, Firc Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy; Dipartimento di Medicina, Chirurgia ed Odontoiatria, University of Milano, Milano, Italy
  2. Dipartimento di Medicina, Chirurgia ed Odontoiatria, University of Milano, Milano, Italy; IFOM, Firc Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
  1. Address correspondence to: Giovanni Boniolo, IFOM, Firc Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy. E-mail: giovanni.boniolo{at}ifom-ieo-campus.it

    Abstract

    We discuss the meaning of “being alive” and “being dead.” Our primary aim is to pave the way for a sound and accurate ethical debate concerning these two concepts. In particular, we analyze a metabolic approach and a genetic one and discuss the reasons for their failure to constitute a good starting point for successive debates. We argue that any ethical or social discussion of topics involving life and death must introduce cultural constructs such as, on the one hand, the concept of clinical death and, on the other hand, the concept of existence. We argue that these two cultural constructs, although consistent with biomedical knowledge, cannot be ontologically grounded in it. To conclude, we apply our findings to the case of human embryos.

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      1. J Med Philos (2008) 33 (6): 609-634. doi: 10.1093/jmp/jhn031 First published online: January 1, 2008
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