Abstract
Interpretations of 'withholding' and 'withdrawing' in life-sustaining treatments becomes different depending on how we conceptualize the human body: whether we recognize it as an assembly of parts or as one holistic gestalt rather than a mere assembly of parts. Given that we focus on the relationship between the patient's intention and the condition he is in, if the patient accepts the condition, there can be withholding which means to follow the causal process; withdrawing is not intended in this case. If the patient does not accept his condition, there can be withholding and withdrawal used as a means to stop life-sustaining treatments. There is a clear difference in meaning between withholding conducted with the patient's acceptance of the condition and withholding as well as withdrawing conducted without the patient's acceptance of the condition.
