[tententwenty]

"In another, he died. In the third, his entire brain was destroyed except for one part that kept him breathing."

Maybe the choice of words used is significant. On popular tv there are now shows featuring people who had "technically" died but were later brought back from the dead. When something is destroyed, however, it is gone.

The choice given to interviewees reminds me, for some reason, of the childhood riddle, 'Would you rather be nearly drowned or nearly saved?'