Question 1

What is the concept of ubuntu, as Metz explains it in "African Values and Capital Punishment"? What is wrong with existing arguments against the death penalty based on ubuntu?

Accepted Answer

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Question 2

What does it mean, according to Metz, for a creature to have dignity? In your own words, explain how this notion relates to the concept of degradation that Metz uses to explain the wrongness of the death penalty.

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Question 3

How might one object to Metz's contention that the notion of dignity entails that the life of a human being is worth inherently more than the life of a cat? Be sure to state your objection as an entire argument.

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Question 4

Given his arguments in "The Ultimate Penalty," how would van den Haag likely respond to Metz's account of the wrongness of capital punishment? Be sure to state this response as an entire argument.

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Question 5

According to Wolf, which of the following would be considered a case of voluntary euthanasia?

Accepted Answer

Voluntary euthanasia involves the administration of a lethal substance at the explicit request of a patient who is capable of making such a decision.

Question 6

According to Wolf, which of the following is a necessary condition for any act of euthanasia?

Accepted Answer

Wolf argues that for an act to be considered euthanasia, it must be the doctor (or someone other than the patient) who performs the act that directly causes death. This distinguishes euthanasia from assisted suicide, where the patient plays an active role in the act that leads to their death.

Question 7

According to Wolf, which of the following would be considered an instance of nonvoluntary euthanasia?

Accepted Answer

Nonvoluntary euthanasia occurs when the decision to end a patient's life is made without the patient's consent because the patient is unable to express their wishes, as in the case of a comatose patient who has not previously expressed a preference.

Question 8

According to Wolf, which of the following would be considered an instance of involuntary euthanasia?

Accepted Answer

Involuntary euthanasia occurs when a life-ending procedure is performed on a person who has explicitly expressed a wish not to undergo such a procedure. Choice B is an example of this, as it involves administering a lethal injection to a patient who has previously stated they do not want it.

Question 9

According to Wolf, which of the following would be considered a legitimate case of physician-assisted suicide?

Accepted Answer

C) A patient's voluntarily taking a lethal dose of prescribed medicine in accordance with a doctor's instructions aligns with Wolf's criteria for physician-assisted suicide, emphasizing the patient's autonomy and voluntary action.

Question 10

Wolf's main goal in "Physician-Assisted Suicide" is:

Accepted Answer

Wolf's main goal in "Physician-Assisted Suicide" is to clarify issues and arguments relating to physician-assisted suicide, rather than solely arguing for or against it or focusing on specific practices like terminal sedation.

Question 11

Wolf argues that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide cannot be justified on the grounds of patient autonomy because:

Accepted Answer

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Question 12

According to Wolf, a key premise of arguments against physician-assisted suicide is that:

Accepted Answer

Wolf argues that humane end-of-life care can be provided without resorting to physician-assisted suicide, suggesting that it is not necessary for compassionate care.

Question 13

Wolf argues that the aggressive administration of pain-relieving drugs that foreseeably increase the risk of the patient's death is not a case of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide because:

Accepted Answer

Aggressive administration of pain-relieving drugs is considered a therapeutic action, which can foreseeably increase the risk of death, similar to other medical treatments, but is not intended to cause death directly.

Question 14

According to Wolf, which of the following is NOT widely accepted as a necessary condition for terminal sedation?

Accepted Answer

Wolf argues that terminal sedation is ethically permissible when certain conditions are met, including the absence of less dangerous alternatives for pain relief, the primary goal of relieving pain rather than ending life, and informed consent. However, the risk of death can be significant in terminal sedation, contradicting the idea that it is not a widely accepted condition for its use. Terminal sedation is often considered when death is imminent, and the focus is on comfort, acknowledging that the risk of hastening death might be significant.

Question 15

According to Wolf, opponents of physician-assisted suicide argue that the practice is not necessary to provide humane care at the end of life because:

Accepted Answer

Opponents argue that humane care can be provided by sedating patients to unconsciousness, avoiding the need for physician-assisted suicide.

Question 16

According to Wolf, which of the following is NOT advanced by opponents of physician-assisted suicide as a likely consequence of permitting the practice?

Accepted Answer

Wolf argues that opponents of physician-assisted suicide do not claim that patient autonomy requires doctors to refrain from assisting in the end of life. Instead, concerns typically focus on potential abuses, the risk of decisions based on incorrect diagnoses, and the possible devaluation of lives considered less worthy, such as those of disabled individuals.

Question 17

According to Wolf, which of the following measures should be widely available?

Accepted Answer

Wolf argues that palliative care, including sedation to the point of unconsciousness, should be widely available to alleviate suffering in terminally ill patients.

Question 18

Wolf argues that the freedom to refuse treatment on the grounds of unwanted bodily invasion does not seem to extend to cover cases of physician-assisted suicide because:

Accepted Answer

Physician-assisted suicide involves a voluntary act of taking medication or undergoing a procedure that directly causes death, which can be seen as a form of bodily invasion, contrasting with the concept of refusing treatment to avoid such invasion.

Question 19

Which of the following, according to Wolf, is NOT relevant to determining the permissibility of a medical practice:

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Question 20

According to Wolf, cases in which a physician assists a patient in committing suicide are genuine instances of euthanasia.

Accepted Answer

Wolf argues that physician-assisted suicide is distinct from euthanasia because in physician-assisted suicide, the patient plays an active role in ending their own life, whereas in euthanasia, the physician is the one who directly administers the life-ending procedure.

Quiz 13: Aristotle's Ethics: Exploring Virtue and Justice