Understanding Brain Death: Ethical and Medical Perspectives

This session explores the complex and often misunderstood concept of brain death. Is brain death truly equivalent to biological death? What are the medical criteria for declaring brain death, and how do they intersect with ethical, religious, and philosophical understandings of the end of life? The class will examine how brain death is defined and determined, its role in organ donation, and the ongoing debates surrounding its legitimacy. Building on themes introduced in the spring term class on Medical Aid in Dying, this presentation offers a deeper look at the moral and medical challenges posed by advances in life-sustaining technology. No prior participation is required.

Peter J. Colosi, Ph.D., is an associate professor of philosophy at Salve Regina University. He previously served as associate professor of moral theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania and taught for Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. Peter holds a doctorate in philosophy from the International Academy of Philosophy in the Principality of Liechtenstein and a master’s degree in Franciscan studies from St. Bonaventure University. He is a speaker and author on the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, focusing on the underlying philosophical reasons behind those teachings.