[TASMANIANRED]

Quick anatomy and physiology lesson.

The brainstem is responsible for taking your next breath.
Heart beat is not regulated by the brain.

The heart has an independent wiring it has it's own spark plug called the Sino atrial node. The heart beat is not dependent on the brain.

Body tone, body movement with the exception of reflex arc's from the spinal cord are dependent on the brain.

Some one that has no brain function has no reflexes even if their spinal cord is intact.

Terri is not brain dead. She breathes independently. She moves slightly , only the brain can do that. The patients for transplant that I have cared for have had nothing, No corneal reflex, no body tone, no temperature regulation, no blood pressure regulation, no response to pain.. no gag, ...

[Salamander]

Read my post #2,229....:)

[grassboots.org]

I am taking some of what you are saving at face value and intend to do some of my own research over the next few weeks, though I stand by my original assertions - that "brain death" does not mean dead and that organs in transplants are removed from living people. The definitions of "brain death" were put in place in the late 1960s to facilitate both transplants and the ability of people to remove such things as respirators without the fear of homicide investigations.

A couple of notes: Apparently you are granting that one must logically "separate" the brainstem from the brain to make the argument that breathing is possible "without brain function". Second, the idea that one's heart could keep beating if your entire brain was removed supports the notion that brain death and death are two distinct things.