ABSTRACT
Criteria for death only have meaning if they can be shown to be logically derived from the appropriate concept of death. The requirement for a definition of death is a demand for the selection of a concept that is superior to others. Failure to understand the relationship between the concept and criteria for death may lead to serious errors of judgement in practical matters. The concept of death involves a philosophical judgement that a significant change has taken place, which presupposes an idea of the necessary conditions of life. Criteria for the ‘death of the whole organism’ could only be met by tests for putrefaction, since cellular life in certain tissues can continue long after it has ceased in others, and long past the point where the organism as a whole has ceased to function. Until the 1950s the cardio-respiratory concept of death was dominant, and cessation of pulse and respiration were in themselves valid criteria for death.
