The History of the Definition(s)of Death: From the 18th Century to the 20th Century

Abstract

One of the more problematical issues in intensive care is not so much what death “is” but instead when death occurs and the operational criteria used to confirm it. This treatise will examine the history of the determination of death from the 18th century until the mid-20th century, focusing on the ways in which death has been diagnosed and misdiagnosed, the problem of premature burial, and the cultural shift that occurred when the brain death criterion was introduced.