Lately the girl considered brain dead by doctors but alive by her parents has been in the news a lot. So, is the girl dead or alive?
A century ago that conflict couldn't have happened. Everyone agreed that when someone stopped breathing and their heart stopped beating they were dead. Machines to keep those body parts functioning didn't exist.
One of my college Linguistics professors said when studying a language if you come to a term people can't define you know it's one of the most basic concepts of the culture. Today in our culture we can't agree on the definitions of some of the most basic terms.
What is a human being?
What is a marriage?
What is the difference between life and death?
And, as the world keeps changing so will our concepts.
Okay, here comes my creative, writer's mind. Beware!
What if, in the future, people who "die" not only have their hearts, lungs, and nutrition continue by machines, but their brains are remotely controlled so they can function almost normally? Will those people be alive? Will they still be humans? Or will the world be taken over by zombies?
What do you think might happen?
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