Brain or Heart? The Controversy over the Concept of Death

Abstract

Extended controversies over a new definition of death have occurred in most Western countries, providing good examples of the kind of `science-based' disputes that increasingly characterize the policy of contemporary welfare states. In this paper, with the aim of introducing and testing a conceptual framework capable of capturing the more general features of such controversies, we reconstruct and examine the death-concept dispute in Sweden. The controversy is approached from both a diachronic and synchronic perspective. First, concepts are proposed for characterizing its origin, crystallization and termination. Then, we categorize and outline its `argumentative structure' and typically `mixed' character. Finally, we discuss some key concepts for understanding the sources of rival contentions, and apply them in more detail. In conclusion, we suggest that science-based controversies constitute an important research site for turning extant sociology and philosophy of science into a more politically relevant research field.