INTRODUCTION TO THE
PHILOSOPHY OF THE
HUMAN PERSON
LESSON 4
DEATH
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to:
1. explain death based on:
a. Legal-Medical definition’
b. Religious Definition
c. Existential Definition
2. give the characteristics of death.
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to:
1. explain death based on:
a. Legal-Medical definition’
b. Religious Definition
c. Existential Definition
2. give the characteristics of death.
True or False:
1. Immortality can be achieved by man.
2. Death is impending.
3. We always design how we die.
4. Two persons can totally share same experience of
death.
5. Death is one of the surest thing in the world.
True or False:
6. We can always say that there is still time.
7. We waste our lives by living the life we don’t want.
8. Following the society would mean a good existence.
9. Death comes at the time we expect it will come.
10. Though we do not know when we will die, we can
prepare for it.
Legal-Medical Definition of Death
Section 2, Organ Donation Act of 1991 otherwise known as RA
7170
Death is the irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory
functions or the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire
brain. A person shall be medically dead if either:
1. In the opinion of the attending physician, based on the
acceptable standards of medical practice, there is an absence of
natural respiratory and cardiac functions and, attempts at
resuscitation would not be successful in restoring those functions.
Legal-Medical Definition of Death
Section 2, Organ Donation Act of 1991 otherwise known as RA
7170
2. In the opinion of the consulting physician, concurred in by the
attending physician, that on the acceptable basis of acceptable
standards of medical practice, there is an irreversible cessation of
all brain functions, and considering the absence of such functions,
further attempts at resuscitation or continued supportive
maintenance would not be successful in restoring such natural
functions. In this case, death shall be deemed to have occurred at
the time when these conditions first appeared.
Legal-Medical Definition of Death
• Only physicians can declare if someone is already dead.
• Physician must have done everything to preserve the life of the
patient, which is consistent with physicians’ professional oath.
Religious Definition of Death
• It is the transition of earthly life to life after death.
• The belief in afterlife presupposes that there is
something in the human person that persists after death.
• Some religions belief in immortality of the soul (surviving
part after death).
Religious Definition of Death
•One main belief is that the soul will be directed to a
place that is proportionate to its moral status
during its earthly life. It is common among the
Abrahamic religions-Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
•Christianity- heaven, hell and purgatory.
•Reincarnation- Life is a cycle of birth and rebirth.
Religious Definition of Death
•Reincarnation- Life is a cycle of birth and rebirth.
•Dharmic or Indian Religions- Hinduism, Buddhism,
Jainism, Sikhism.
•Rebirth shall be determined by karma, which is the
moral quality of human actions.
EXISTENTIAL DEFINITION OF
DEATH
•They are against the idea of the afterlife as the
central aspect of death primarily because it takes
away the focus on concrete and actual human
experience.
•To be- to exist, to have possibilities
•Not to be- not to exist, to lose all possibilities.
•Our existence is a question of to be or not to be.
EXISTENTIAL DEFINITION OF
DEATH
•They are against the idea of the afterlife as the
central aspect of death primarily because it takes
away the focus on concrete and actual human
experience.
•Our existence is a question of to be or not to be.
•To be- to exist, to have possibilities
•Not to be- not to exist, to lose all possibilities.
EXISTENTIAL DEFINITION OF
DEATH
• The afterlife is not a concern of existentialist
because its existence is not concrete.
It is based on faith. We can’t empirically validate the
existence of heaven hell or the reincarnation of soul.
• The challenge of the existentialist is to face the real
possibility that when we die, everything is over,
that we are no longer.
“If Death Is A Choice Card”
Full Name
Desired Date of Death
Cause of Death
5 Things I will do before Reasons
I die (Bucket list)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.