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Asked by to Anna, Elaine, Fiona, Kevin, Darren on 23 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
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Kevin O'Dell answered on 23 Jun 2014:
Good question, and worthy of a debate all of it’s own.
As legally (I think) and medically (definitely) death is defined by having brain function, then the simple answer to your question is no. However, as with all these kind of questions it’s not quite as simple as that. With all the medical technology available it’s possible to have a patient that is medically brain dead, but whose heart is kept beating by a life support machine. Though there is no possibility of the patient recovering you might argue whether they are technically dead or not. But of course they still have a brain, even though it’s not functioning. So going back to your question, I would say that if you don’t have a brain you are not alive, so the answer is no.
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Fiona McLean answered on 23 Jun 2014:
I think Kevin covers it pretty well! As humans I would say no we cannot live without a brain. However it is really interesting that other organisms can. For example bacteria don’t have a brain but make decisions. They are able to make decisions based on stuff that is happening around them such as how much food is available. Which is pretty cool! However it is our brains that make us so unique. Bacteria don’t have personalities (that we know about) and that is what is so great about people.
Comments
animallmad commented on :
no because you couldent drink eat or sleep couldent do nothing without having a brain you couldent even breayh without a brain
rudedestroyermax commented on :
ye kevin answered it well and in a very interesting way.
Anna commented on :
It’s also interesting to consider that plants are quite clearly alive (and I personally am pretty good at killing them accidentally), they grow and they die, but they definitely don’t have a brain.
So, it seems we define life and death differently for plants and humans – which, philosophically-speaking is quite interesting to think about.
Elaine commented on :
I think it depends on the definition of brain. You can have brain stem activity and still be therefore alive without having any higher brain function. This can make decisions about whether someone is alive very difficult to answer, especially if you are working with sick patients. If someone can breath but everything that made them, them is gone, are they still alive.
I think you can be technically alive especially with the aid of mechanical support without being alive as I would consider it as a human being with personality intact.
thebossiestboss99 commented on :
rubbish question jack