This article is an excerpt from the book 'The Future Loves You'.

Summary of the article by Grok:

The article "What Is Death?" by Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston explores the evolving definition of death in light of medical advancements. Historically, death was straightforward—cessation of breathing and heartbeat. However, technologies like mechanical ventilators, cardiopulmonary bypass machines, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation have decoupled death from these functions, allowing bodies to be sustained without natural heart or lung activity. This has made defining death complex, as traditional markers no longer suffice.

The piece discusses how legal definitions of death, based on "irreversible cessation" of cardiorespiratory or brain functions, are problematic. These definitions depend on available technology, leading to inconsistencies, and often ignore cases like hypothalamic function persisting in "brain-dead" patients. The author proposes a new question to define death: "How badly decayed must a body be before restoration to health is impossible, even in principle?" This shifts focus to theoretical limits of revival.

The article also touches on societal implications, using a hypothetical case of an engineer named Alex to illustrate how death affects responsibilities and relationships. It critiques the reliance on vague medical standards and highlights the ongoing shift from cardiorespiratory to brain-based definitions, noting that emerging technologies may further challenge the concept of brain death. Ultimately, it calls for a redefined understanding of death that accounts for future medical possibilities.