The definition of life is most important, at least legally and politically, at birth and death.

It is important to know when life has stopped, as in hospitals, in oreder to remove the patient from life support systems. The current definition seems to be brain death. That is when you no longer have measurable brain waves you are dead.

The onset of life at birth is currently quite controversal. It used to be birth but now is closer to conception with the anti-abortionists putting it right at conception.

My view is that the same definition shouldbe used for birth and death. So that life begins when the first fetal brain waves can be detected.