Pojmowanie ciała w ramach koncepcji śmierci mózgowej a chrześcijańskie rozumienie człowieka i jego cielesności. Zarys problematyki

Abstract

The brain death definition, although starting from empirical data, is a purely philosophical concept based on concrete anthropological assumptions. These scientific data are only starting point which demands interpretation. The purpose of this study is to discover anthropological assumptions laying under the brain death definition – or rather, to be more precise, under two main types of brain death definition – and to confront the findings with view on the human being from Christian perspective, especially regarding the human bodility. Although it seems that most theologians and hierarchs of the Catholic Church are favorable towards the brain death definition, this idea is quite controversial from the catholic standpoint. This paper also engages in polemics with catholic theologians who try to reconcile the modern medical criterium of human death with theological “definition” of death, missing precious threads of Christian tradition ­regarding the human being.