Deathfrom myth to the laboratory

Abstract

Death is a biological event which forms an essential part of culture. All human societies have attributed some meaning to death in myth, religion, philosophy or science. The various forms of art have also represented death as an essential part of the human condition. This article discusses the cultural, social and medical constructions of death, starting with the origin myth and the contradiction between death and eternal life. It explores funeral rites and parish registers, examines death as an important social phenomenon in modern societies and considers the meaning of civil registries as instruments of social identity and legitimacy. Finally, it reflects on medicine’s power over death, death’s biological dimension and attempts to objectify signs of death.