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How Much Brain Do I Need to be Human?

July 13, 2006
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Audio Recording

Video Recording

In this session, we will explore the philosophical and theological basis for human personhood.  I will defend an essential view of a human person, as opposed to a functional approach that ties status as a person with the ability to perform particular functions.  One of the primary functions proposed is that of sentience, which presumes a level of higher brain function.  We will explore the view presented by Bonnie Steinbock in Life Before Birth: The Moral and Legal Status of Embryos and Fetuses, and touch on the views of Singer and Tooley as well.  We will also touch on the debate over the definition of death, whether it's based on higher brain activity or whole brain death.

Keywords:
"persistent vegetative state, PVS, brain injury, personhood, definition of death, sentience, consciousness"