Question 1

What point does Rachels intend to make with the example of Jones letting his cousin drown in the bathtub?

Accepted Answer

A)  The difference between killing someone and letting them die is not in itself a morally relevant issue. 
B)  We have a moral obligation to refrain from killing others but no obligation to intervene to prevent them from dying. 
C)  Neither active nor passive euthanasia should be thought of as killing. 
D)  Euthanasia is never permissible when the patient is a minor. 
A)  The difference between killing someone and letting them die is not in itself a morally relevant issue. 
B)  We have a moral obligation to refrain from killing others but no obligation to intervene to prevent them from dying. 
C)  Neither active nor passive euthanasia should be thought of as killing. 
D)  Euthanasia is never permissible when the patient is a minor. A

Question 2

Which of the following objections does Rachels make to the prohibition of active euthanasia?

Accepted Answer

A)  It leads to decisions about life and death being made on irrelevant grounds. 
B)  It leaves decisions about life and death solely in the hands of doctors. 
C)  It encourages costly and ineffective efforts to prolong the lives of terminally ill patients. 
D)  None of the above 
A)  It leads to decisions about life and death being made on irrelevant grounds. 
B)  It leaves decisions about life and death solely in the hands of doctors. 
C)  It encourages costly and ineffective efforts to prolong the lives of terminally ill patients. 
D)  None of the above A

Question 3

Rachels believes that legal prohibitions on killing by doctors should be reflected in official professional statements of medical ethics such as those by the American Medical Association.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 4

In 1973, the American Medical Association declared its opposition to "mercy killing."

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Rachels argues that, in passive euthanasia, the doctor does something in the sense that

Accepted Answer

A)  he kills rather than lets the patient die. 
B)  his refusal to act is subject to moral appraisal. 
C)  he is bound by the American Medical Association's official statement of ethics. 
D)  there are legal consequences attached to his behavior. 
A)  he kills rather than lets the patient die. 
B)  his refusal to act is subject to moral appraisal. 
C)  he is bound by the American Medical Association's official statement of ethics. 
D)  there are legal consequences attached to his behavior.

Question 6

According to the conventional doctrine, passive euthanasia is sometimes morally permissible.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

According to Rachels, many believe the difference between active and passive euthanasia lies in the

Accepted Answer

A)  doctor becoming part of the causal chain in the former but not in the latter. 
B)  American Medical Association saying there is a difference between the former and the latter. 
C)  law saying there is a difference between the former and the latter. 
D)  None of the above 
A)  doctor becoming part of the causal chain in the former but not in the latter. 
B)  American Medical Association saying there is a difference between the former and the latter. 
C)  law saying there is a difference between the former and the latter. 
D)  None of the above

Question 8

According to the American Medical Association, who should have the final word on whether to cease the use of extraordinary means to preserve life?

Accepted Answer

A)  The physician 
B)  The hospital's committee on medical ethics 
C)  The hospital chaplain 
D)  The patient or the patient's immediate family 
A)  The physician 
B)  The hospital's committee on medical ethics 
C)  The hospital chaplain 
D)  The patient or the patient's immediate family

Question 9

What is the "conventional doctrine" regarding active and passive euthanasia? What reasons are typically given in support of this view? Do you think they are good reasons? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The conventional doctrine regarding acti

Question 10

The decision to let someone die, Rachels argues, is a type of action that is subject to moral appraisal.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Withholding treatment with the intention of ending the patient's life, to prevent the patient's further suffering, is an example of active euthanasia.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Does Rachels think that there is a moral difference between killing a person and letting him die? What reasons does he give for his view? Do you find his position plausible?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Rachels does think that there is a

Question 13

Rachels argues that killing someone is not necessarily morally worse than letting that person die.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

According to Rachels, passively watching a child drown in a bathtub is the moral equivalent of murder.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Active euthanasia involves

Accepted Answer

A)  the intentional termination of one's life by another person to relieve pain and suffering. 
B)  the cessation of the employment of "extraordinary means" to prolong one's life. 
C)  intentionally causing a patient's death against the patient's wishes. 
D)  the refusal to treat a patient against the patient's wishes. 
A)  the intentional termination of one's life by another person to relieve pain and suffering. 
B)  the cessation of the employment of "extraordinary means" to prolong one's life. 
C)  intentionally causing a patient's death against the patient's wishes. 
D)  the refusal to treat a patient against the patient's wishes.

Question 16

To what does Rachels attribute the commonly held opinion that killing is intrinsically worse than letting someone die?

Accepted Answer

A)  Moral intuitions supported by sound philosophical reasoning 
B)  The hold that religious dogma continues to have even on those who understand themselves as nonbelievers 
C)  The fact that most actual cases of killing are more reprehensible than most actual cases of letting a person die 
D)  All of the above 
A)  Moral intuitions supported by sound philosophical reasoning 
B)  The hold that religious dogma continues to have even on those who understand themselves as nonbelievers 
C)  The fact that most actual cases of killing are more reprehensible than most actual cases of letting a person die 
D)  All of the above

Question 17

According to Rachels, when might it be permissible to take direct action to end the life of a terminally ill patient?

Accepted Answer

A)  Never or almost never 
B)  Whenever the patient sincerely and repeatedly requests that such action be taken 
C)  As soon as the decision to cease treatment has been made 
D)  When the patient loses the capacity to communicate 
A)  Never or almost never 
B)  Whenever the patient sincerely and repeatedly requests that such action be taken 
C)  As soon as the decision to cease treatment has been made 
D)  When the patient loses the capacity to communicate

Question 18

Rachels is opposed in principle to active euthanasia.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Which of the following best characterizes Rachels's view of the 1973 American Medical Association statement?

Accepted Answer

A)  It wisely upholds the traditional moral distinction between active and passive euthanasia. 
B)  Its acceptance of passive euthanasia draws us into dangerous moral territory. 
C)  It unwisely opposes active euthanasia, which is sometimes morally preferable to passive euthanasia. 
D)  It leaves far too much to the discretion of the patient and the patient's immediate family. 
A)  It wisely upholds the traditional moral distinction between active and passive euthanasia. 
B)  Its acceptance of passive euthanasia draws us into dangerous moral territory. 
C)  It unwisely opposes active euthanasia, which is sometimes morally preferable to passive euthanasia. 
D)  It leaves far too much to the discretion of the patient and the patient's immediate family.

Question 20

What would you do if you found yourself in a situation such as the one Rachels describes of having a baby with Down syndrome and a life-threatening intestinal blockage? Would you tell the doctors to operate to save the baby's life? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

If I found myself in a situation like th

Exam 49: Active and Passive Euthanasia James Rachels

What point does Rachels intend to make with the example of Jones letting his cousin drown in the bathtub?

Which of the following objections does Rachels make to the prohibition of active euthanasia?

Rachels believes that legal prohibitions on killing by doctors should be reflected in official professional statements of medical ethics such as those by the American Medical Association.

In 1973, the American Medical Association declared its opposition to "mercy killing."

Rachels argues that, in passive euthanasia, the doctor does something in the sense that

According to the conventional doctrine, passive euthanasia is sometimes morally permissible.

According to Rachels, many believe the difference between active and passive euthanasia lies in the

According to the American Medical Association, who should have the final word on whether to cease the use of extraordinary means to preserve life?

What is the "conventional doctrine" regarding active and passive euthanasia? What reasons are typically given in support of this view? Do you think they are good reasons? Why or why not?

The decision to let someone die, Rachels argues, is a type of action that is subject to moral appraisal.

Withholding treatment with the intention of ending the patient's life, to prevent the patient's further suffering, is an example of active euthanasia.

Does Rachels think that there is a moral difference between killing a person and letting him die? What reasons does he give for his view? Do you find his position plausible?

Rachels argues that killing someone is not necessarily morally worse than letting that person die.

According to Rachels, passively watching a child drown in a bathtub is the moral equivalent of murder.

Active euthanasia involves

To what does Rachels attribute the commonly held opinion that killing is intrinsically worse than letting someone die?

According to Rachels, when might it be permissible to take direct action to end the life of a terminally ill patient?

Rachels is opposed in principle to active euthanasia.

Which of the following best characterizes Rachels's view of the 1973 American Medical Association statement?

What would you do if you found yourself in a situation such as the one Rachels describes of having a baby with Down syndrome and a life-threatening intestinal blockage? Would you tell the doctors to operate to save the baby's life? Why or why not?

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Crito Plato

Phaedo Plato

Subjectivism Julia Driver

God and Morality Steven M.Cahn

The Challenge of Cultural Relativism James Rachels

Right and Wrong Thomas Nagel

Egoism and Moral Skepticism James Rachels

Happiness and Immorality Steven M.Cahn and Jeffrie G Murphy

The Nature of Ethical Disagreement Charles L Stevenson

The Rationality of Moral Action Philippa Foot

The Categorical Imperative Immanuel Kant

A Simplified Account of Kants Ethics Onora Oneill

Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill

Contemporary Utilitarianism Julia Driver

The Nature of Virtue Aristotle

Virtue Ethics Julia Driver

The Ethics of Care Virginia Held

The Social Contract Thomas Hobbes

A Theory of Justice John Rawls

Gender Bias Cheshire Calhoun

Famine, Affluence, and Morality Peter Singer

A Reply to Singer Travis Timmerman

Rights, Obligations, and World Hunger Onora Oneill

The Case for Limits David Miller

A Right to Immigrate Michael Hummer

Racisms Kwame Anthony Appiah

Sexism Ann E Cudd and Leslie E Jones

Five Faces of Oppression Iris Marion Young

The Morality of Reparation Bernard Boxill

Reparation and the Problem of Agency Chandran Kukathas

Offers and Coercion Nancy Tuana

Consensual Sex on Campus Leslie Pickering Francis

Sexual Harassment in the University N Ann Davis

Sexual Harassment in Public Places Margaret Crouch

Value and the Gift of Sexuality Elisabeth Anderson

Taking Money for Bodily Services Martha C Nussbaum

Markets in Womens Sexual Labor Debra Satz

Equality for Animals Peter Singer

Speciesism and the Idea of Equality Bonnie Steinbock

Getting Animals in View Christine Korsgaard

Speaking of Animal Rights Mary Anne Warren

Philosophical Problems for Environmentalism Elliott Sober

Ethics and Global Change Dale Jamieson

A Defense of Abortion Judith Jarvis Thomson

On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion Mary Anne Warren

Why Abortion Is Immoral Don Marquis

Virtue Theory and Abortion Rosalind Hursthouse

The Intentional Termination Fo Life Bonnie Steinbock

The Meaning of Life Richard Taylor

Meaning in Life Susan Wolf

Meaningful Lives Christine Vitrano

The Trolley Problem Judith Jarvis Thomson

Turning the Trolley Judith Jarvis Thomson

Moral Saints Susan Wolf

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