What does the term "somatic death" refer to?

The term "somatic death" refers to the total cessation of biological functions in an organism. This concept encompasses the end of all vital signs, including the stopping of the heart, respiration, and brain activity. While the stopping of heart functions is a significant aspect of death, it doesn’t fully capture the entirety of somatic death, which implies a complete and permanent end to all biological activities of the organism.

Additionally, the death of brain cells, while relevant, is not sufficient to define somatic death because other organs and systems may still exhibit activity or could be artificially maintained for a period. Rigor mortis, which is the stiffening of the muscles post-mortem, occurs after death and is a sign of the biochemical processes that follow somatic death, but it does not define death itself. Therefore, the selection of the term indicating the total cessation of biological functions accurately reflects the definition and implications of somatic death.