Bagheri A
Graduate School of Law, Kyoto University, Sakyo-Ku 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan.
J Med Ethics. 2007 Mar;33(3):146-9. doi: 10.1136/jme.2006.016014.
While there are numerous doubts, controversies and lack of consensus on alternative definitions of human death, it is argued that it is more ethical to allow people to choose either cessation of cardio-respiratory function or loss of entire brain function as the definition of death based on their own views. This paper presents the law of organ transplantation in Japan, which allows people to decide whether brain death can be used to determine their death in agreement with their family. Arguably, Japan could become a unique example of individual choice in the definition of death if the law is revised to allow individuals choose definition of death independently of their family. It suggests that such an approach is one of the reasonable policy options a country can adopt for legislation on issues related to the definition of death.
虽然对于人类死亡的替代定义存在众多疑问、争议且缺乏共识，但有人认为，允许人们根据自己的观点选择将心肺功能停止或全脑功能丧失作为死亡定义，这样更符合伦理。本文介绍了日本的器官移植法，该法允许人们与家人协商后决定是否可将脑死亡用于判定自己的死亡。可以说，如果修订法律允许个人独立于家人选择死亡定义，日本可能会成为死亡定义方面个人选择的独特范例。这表明，这种方法是一个国家在制定与死亡定义相关问题的立法时可以采取的合理政策选择之一。
