In her book "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers," Mary Roach explores the intricate relationship between dissection, surgical practices, and the human mind's need for illusions and denial. The quote highlights how these fields share a common reliance on a carefully constructed set of mental barriers that help individuals cope with the realities of death and the use of human bodies in such processes.

Roach suggests that just as meat-eating involves a psychological separation from the animal’s life, dissection and surgery require practitioners to navigate their emotions and societal perceptions about cadavers. This perspective invites readers to consider the complexities and ethical dimensions surrounding the treatment of human remains in medical education and practice.