Overview of and topical guide to death
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to death:
Death – termination of all biological functions that sustain a living organism
What is death?
Death can be described as all of the following:
- End of life – life is the characteristic distinguishing physical entities having signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not,[1][2] either because such functions have ceased (death), or because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate.[3][4][5]
- (Death is) the opposite of:
- Life – (see above)
- Biogenesis – production of new living organisms or organelles. The law of biogenesis, attributed to Louis Pasteur, is the observation that living things come only from other living things, by reproduction (e.g. a spider lays eggs, which develop into spiders).
- Fertilisation (Conception) – the beginning of an organism's life, initiated by the fusion of gametes resulting in the development of a new individual organism. In animals, the process involves the fusion of an ovum with a sperm, which eventually leads to the development of an embryo.
- Birth – act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the fetus at a developmental stage when it is ready to feed and breathe. Commonly considered the beginning of one's life. "First you are born, then you live life, then you die."
- De-extinction – process of creating an organism, which is a member of or resembles an extinct species, or a breeding population of such organisms. Cloning is the most widely proposed method, although selective breeding has also been proposed. Similar techniques have been applied to endangered species. Though we have not yet brought an extinct species back to life
- Survival – Survival is simply the need to live, the only real purpose of an organism is to generate offspring
- Indefinite lifespan – term used in the life extension movement and transhumanism to refer to the hypothetical longevity of humans (and other life-forms) under conditions in which aging is effectively and completely prevented and treated. Their lifespans would be "indefinite" (that is, they would not be "immortal") because protection from the effects of aging on health does not guarantee survival. Such individuals would still be susceptible to accidental or intentional death by disease, starvation, getting hit by a truck, murdered, and so on, but not death from aging, some animals can live forever such as the Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish, or the bowhead whale.
Death and culture
Death and culture
Medical field and death
Politics of death
Legalities of death
Religion and death
- Religious beliefs concerning death
- Religious ceremonies concerning death
Death care industry
Death care industry – companies and organizations that provide services related to death (i.e., funerals, cremation or burial, and memorials).
- Death care industry sectors
- Death care industry products and services
- Death care professionals
- Death care companies