Unconsciousness

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Unconsciousness

See also Unconscious mind
Unconscious mind

The Unconscious is a term invented by the 18th century German philosophy romanticism philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling and later introduced into English by the poet and essayist Samuel Taylor Coleridge....
.

Unconsciousness, more appropriately referred to as loss of consciousness

Consciousness

Consciousness is a difficult term to define, because the word is used and understood in a wide variety of ways, so that it frequently happens that what one person sees as a definition of consciousness is seen by others as about something else altogether....
or lack of consciousness, is a dramatic alteration of mental state that involves complete or near-complete lack of responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli. Being in a comatose state or coma

Coma

In medicine, a coma is a profound state of unconsciousness. A comatose person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to pain or light, does not have sleep-wake cycles, and does not take voluntary actions....
is an illustration of unconsciousness. Fainting due to a drop in blood pressure and a decrease of the oxygen supply to the brain is an illustration of a temporary loss of consciousness.

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Unconsciousness'

Start a new discussion about 'Unconsciousness'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

Unconsciousness, more appropriately referred to as loss of consciousness

Consciousness

Coma

Delirium

Delirium is an acute and relatively sudden decline in attention-focus, perception, and cognition. In medical usage it is not synonymous with drowsiness, and may occur without it....
(when the person is confused and only partially responsive to the environment), normal sleep

Sleep

Sleep is the natural state of bodily rest observed in humans and other animals. It is common to all mammals and birds, and is also seen in many reptiles, amphibians and fish....
, hypnosis

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a mental state or set of attitudes usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a series of preliminary instructions and suggestions....
, and other altered states in which the person responds to stimuli.

Loss of consciousness should not be confused with the notion of the psychoanalytic unconscious

Unconscious mind

The Unconscious is a term invented by the 18th century German philosophy romanticism philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling and later introduced into English by the poet and essayist Samuel Taylor Coleridge....
or cognitive processes (e.g., implicit cognition) that take place outside of awareness.

Loss of consciousness may occur as the result of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury occurs when an outside force physical trauma the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism , or other features ....
, brain hypoxia

Hypoxia (medical)

Hypoxia is a Pathology condition in which the body as a whole or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. Variations in arterial oxygen concentrations can be part of the normal physiology, for example, during strenuous physical exercise....
(e.g., due to a brain infarction

Infarction

In medicine, an infarction results in the death of a macroscopic area of tissue in an organ due to loss of adequate blood supply. This dead tissue is then known as necrosis....
or cardiac arrest), severe poisoning with drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system (e.g., alcohol and other hypnotic or sedative drugs), severe fatigue, and other causes.

Law and medicine

In jurisprudence

Jurisprudence

Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal philosophers, hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions....
, unconsciousness may entitle the criminal defendant to the defense

Defense (legal)

In civil proceedings and criminal prosecutions under the common law, a defendant may raise a defense in an attempt to avoid criminal or civil liability....
of automatism

Automatism (law)

In the Criminal Law, automatism is a defense to liability. Except in the case of strict liability offences, a crime must contain two elements: the actus reus or "guilty act", and the mens rea or "guilty mind"....
, an excusing condition

Excuse

In jurisprudence, an excuse or justification is a form of immunity that must be distinguished from an exculpation. In this context, "to excuse" means to grant or obtain an exemption for a group of persons sharing a common characteristic from a potential liability....
which allows a defendant to argue that they should not be held criminally liable

Liability

In the most general sense, a liability is anything that is a wikt:hindrance, or puts individuals at a disadvantage. It can also be used as a slang term to describe someone that puts a team or group of which they are a member at a disadvantage, and would thus be better off without....
for their actions or omissions

Omission (criminal)

In the criminal law, an omission, or failure to act, will constitute an actus reus and give rise to liability only when the law imposes a duty to act and the defendant is in breach of that duty....
. In most countries, courts are called upon to consider whether unconsciousness in a situation can be accepted as a defense; it can vary from case to case. Hence epileptic seizures, neurological

Neurology

Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the Central nervous system, Peripheral nervous system, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and...
dysfunctions and sleepwalking

Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking is a parasomnia or sleep disorder where the sufferer engages in activities that are normally associated with wakefulness while he or she is sleep or in a sleep-like state....
may be considered acceptable excusing conditions because the loss of control is not be foreseeable, but falling asleep (especially while driving or during any other safety-critical activity), may not be because natural sleep rarely overcomes an ordinary person without warning.

In many countries, it is presumed that someone who is less than fully conscious cannot give consent

Consent

Consent as a term of jurisprudence is a possible defence against civil or criminal liability. Defendants who use this defense are arguing that they should not be held liability for a tort or a crime, since the action s in question were taken with the plaintiff or "victim's" consent and permission....
to anything. This can be relevant in cases of sexual behavior, euthanasia

Euthanasia

Euthanasia refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many different forms of euthanasia can be distinguished, including euthanasia and human euthanasia, and within the latter, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia....
or patients giving informed consent

Informed consent

Informed consent is a law condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon a clear appreciation and understanding of the facts, implications and future consequences of an action....
with regard to starting or stopping a treatment.

In certain countries, first responders, EMT, or paramedics must legally obtain consent from a casualty if (s)he is conscious during an emergency before they can assume patient care. In most situations where the casualty is deemed unconscious, consent is implied and the emergency service provider is free to assume patient care.