In his article “Changing the Ethics in Life and Death Decision Making,” Peter Singer makes many important points about the sanctity of human life and on religious, scientific and moral aspects. implications of death. Singer discusses different facets of this controversial issue. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essayAccording to Singer, in 1968 the legal definition of death was "based on the cessation of the heartbeat and circulation of the blood." blood ". However, in 1968, Professor Henry Beecher of Harvard University disputed this claim, saying that there had been recent scientific discoveries about the nature of death and how it should be legally defined. In many countries, brain death has also been accepted as the legal definition of death. Although this delicate issue is controversial, it is clear that it has both advantages and disadvantages. To understand the true definition of death, we must understand who has the right to decide on this definition. Since the question of death is one that concerns both science and religion, it is obvious that there can be controversy over who should make this moral decision. Pope Pius XII spoke on this issue as early as 1957 when he addressed the International Congress of Anesthesiologists. At the time, ventilators were just beginning to be used and the question of whether living on a machine was really living arose. Although the discovery of ventilators is a scientific question, whether it is right or wrong to remove someone who is solely dependent on them is an ethical, not scientific, judgment. However, “Pope Pius XII had said that it is up to doctors, and not the Church, to give a clear and precise definition of “death” and the “moment of death” of a patient who dies in a state of unconsciousness. » I agree with Pope Pius XII that it is up to doctors, trained in the science of death, to decide when a person is legally dead, but that there are certain moral decisions that should not be based solely on on science. it is undeniable that there are benefits to broadening the definition of the word death. There are many cases where patients end up on life support because their body can no longer function on its own. Some of these patients eventually manage to recover and support themselves, while many others never recover. Singer highlights the difference between patients in an irreversible coma and patients declared brain dead. Brain dead patients lack the central nervous system activity that some comatose patients have. Brain dead patients are unable to have a good quality of life because they rely on machines to stay alive. Deeming brain dead patients dead would allow these people and their families to escape their misery. It would also give people in need of an organ more opportunities to obtain one from these brain-dead but otherwise healthy patients. This could save many lives. Besides the advantages of broadening the definition, there are many disadvantages. Singer points out that the introduction of a new concept of death may imply that human beings who breathe hot are dead. This is immoral in the eyes of many. Singer also points out that there are many living things that do not have brains.