Abstract
Historical role of the common law in giving meaning to the concepts of life and death - different meanings of death which have existed in common law - meanings of death are not confined to traditional biological or scientific understandings - concepts of life and death in common law have depended not only on the practice of medicine and the interests of science, but on social factors as well - current controversy concerning the legal definition of biological death needs to be viewed as part of a wider historical process including an understanding of how the language of life and death are shaped by the common law - social forces behind legal understandings of death must not be hidden or disguised by the language of law.
| Original language | English |
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| Pages (from-to) | 67-91 |
| Number of pages | 25 |
| Journal | Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2002 |