Question 1

Who argues that infants are not persons?

Accepted Answer

Tooley argues that infants are not persons as they lack certain characteristics that are necessary for personhood, such as rationality and self-awareness.

Question 2

Who rejects the argument that the cost of treating newborns outweighs the benefits?

Accepted Answer

Robertson rejects the argument that the cost of treating newborns outweighs the benefits.

Question 3

Which moral view would deny that a lack of rational autonomy justifies depriving impaired infants of a chance to claim life, bodily integrity, and social affiliation?

Accepted Answer

The capabilities approach asserts that every individual, regardless of their level of cognitive or physical impairment, has inherent capabilities and should have the opportunity to fulfill them. Therefore, a lack of rational autonomy would not justify depriving impaired infants of the chance to claim life, bodily integrity, and social affiliation according to the capabilities approach.

Question 4

Who defends a conservative natural law position?

Accepted Answer

Robertson is known for defending conservative natural law positions. Liao, Sheehan, and Tooley have different philosophical views.

Question 5

Which of the following are required by the Groningen Protocol for actively euthanizing impaired infants?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following are required by...

Question 6

Which moral view could hold that, although we have a prima facie duty to save the life of an impaired infant, our actual duty is to allow him to die?

Accepted Answer

Ross's theory of prima facie duties suggests that we have multiple, sometimes conflicting, moral obligations. In this case, the prima facie duty to save a life might be overridden by another duty, leading to the conclusion that the actual duty is to allow the infant to die.

Question 7

Which moral view might support the position that the costs of saving an impaired infant would outweigh the benefits of doing this, and so the infant should not be saved?

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that evaluates the moral worth of an action based on how much happiness or pleasure it produces, and how little pain or suffering it causes. In this case, a utilitarian might argue that attempting to save an impaired infant would incur high costs in terms of financial resources, medical resources and emotional hardship for the parents and caregivers, without a reasonable likelihood of producing an overall benefit to society or the infant in terms of long-term quality of life or contribution to society. Therefore, a utilitarian may advocate for withholding treatment in this scenario.

Question 8

What does "the Ashley Treatment" involve?

Accepted Answer

The Ashley Treatment involves a combination of surgeries to remove the uterus and breast buds, as well as hormone injections to attenuate growth.

Question 9

Why do some neonatologists consider making extraordinary efforts to resuscitate low birth weight infants to be an unacceptable option?

Accepted Answer

Low birth weight infants have a high risk of medical complications and long-term developmental problems. Despite the use of advanced medical technology, the outcomes of resuscitating these infants are often poor. Therefore, some neonatologists may consider it unacceptable to make extraordinary efforts to resuscitate them.

Question 10

Liao, Savulescu, and Sheehan argue that

Accepted Answer

Liao, Savulescu, and Sheehan argue that growth attenuation in some disabled children, particularly those with severe physical and/or cognitive impairments, may be morally acceptable under certain circumstances, such as when it can improve the child's overall quality of life and alleviate the burden of caregiving for the family. However, they do not suggest that such interventions are always morally permissible or without potential risks or drawbacks. The other options listed, the surgical removal of breast buds or uterus in impaired children, are not discussed or endorsed by Liao, Savulescu, and Sheehan.

Question 11

Who wrote of the legal concept of "wrongful life"?

Accepted Answer

Engelhardt is known for discussing the concept of "wrongful life" in the context of bioethics and legal philosophy.

Question 12

Who argues that it is reasonable to speak of a duty not to treat an impaired infant under certain conditions?

Accepted Answer

Engelhardt argues that it may be reasonable to speak of a duty not to treat an impaired infant under certain conditions, such as when treatment is futile or excessively burdensome, and when it is not in the best interest of the infant. Liao, Tooley, and Robertson do not explicitly argue for this position.

Question 13

Which moral view holds that even the most impaired newborn is a human person?

Accepted Answer

Natural law theory holds that all human beings, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, have inherent value and dignity simply by virtue of being human. Therefore, even the most impaired newborn is considered a human person under natural law theory. Utilitarianism, Ross's theory, and Rawls's theory do not necessarily hold this view.

Question 14

Which moral view holds that it is morally wrong to will our own death, as this involves a self-defeating maxim?

Accepted Answer

Kantian ethics holds that it is morally wrong to will our own death, as this involves a self-defeating maxim. According to Kant, we should always act in a way that our maxim can be made into a universal law. However, if we will our own death, we are essentially saying that it is okay for anyone to will their own death, which would lead to the extinction of humanity. Therefore, Kantian ethics would view suicide as morally wrong.

Question 15

Which of the following terms describes an impairment in a child that occurs during the development process and that is not caused by a defect in a gene or any genetic damage?

Accepted Answer

Congenital error refers to an impairment or anomaly that occurs during the prenatal development process and is not caused by any genetic damage or defect in a gene.

Quiz 6: The Dilemma of Impaired Infants-PART A