Deck 6: Death and Dying

Question 1

Which of the following claims best captures an objection to Donation after Cardiac Death (DCD) programs?

A) DCD programs are incompatible with the whole-brain criterion of death
B) DCD programs are incompatible with the cardiopulmonary criterion of death
C) DCD programs are incompatible with the Dead Donor Rule
D) All of the above

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following criterion of death is focused on the permanent loss of psychological capacity?

A) The whole-brain criterion
B) The higher-brain criterion
C) The cardiopulmonary criterion
D) All of the above

Answer 2

B

Question 3

By "necessary condition for a human to be dead" is meant a condition such that

A) Satisfying it is enough for a human to be dead
B) Without satisfying it no human is dead
C) Humans can be dead without satisfying it
D) None of the above

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Evidence that the permanent loss of the function in the entire brain is not sufficient for organismic death is an objection to which lawful criterion of death in the US?

A) The whole-brain criterion
B) The higher-brain criterion
C) The cardiopulmonary criterion
D) All of the above

Question 5

That patients in PVS may retain most of the outward signs of being alive (such as body temperature, pulse, and unassisted respiration) is an objection to which criterion of death?

A) The whole-brain criterion
B) The higher-brain criterion
C) The cardiopulmonary criterion
D) The brainstem criterion

Question 6

Which of the following best characterizes the permanent vegetative state? The permanent loss of function in

A) The entire brain
B) The brainstem
C) The higher brain
D) All of the above

Question 7

Which of the following measures have been proposed as a solution to the organ-procurement problem?

A) Abandoning the cardiopulmonary criterion of death
B) Promoting donation after cardiac death
C) Abandoning the dead-donor rule
D) All of the above

Question 8

Which of the following best approximates the criteria of death adopted by the US Uniform Determination of Death Act?

A) The whole-brain criterion
B) The cardiopulmonary criterion
C) Both A and B
D) Neither A nor B

Question 9

Which of the following definitions of human death is incompatible with the organismic definition of death?

A) The whole-brain definition
B) The higher-brain definition
C) The cardiopulmonary definition
D) The brainstem definition

Question 10

Which of the following best approximates the organismic definition of death for all living organisms?

A) Death is the permanent cessation of an organism's brain function
B) Death is the permanent cessation of an organism's cardiopulmonary function
C) Death is the permanent cessation of an organism's integrative function
D) All of the above

Question 11

Given expert knowledge about medicine and ballistics, a person who has permanently lost cardiac activity as a result of a massive gunshot wound can remain conscious for at least five to fifteen seconds. Which of the following is true in that situation? The person is

A) Alive according to the whole-brain criterion
B) Alive according to the cardiopulmonary criterion
C) Dead according to the higher-brain criterion
D) None of the above

Question 12

Which of the following is true of the brainstem criterion of death? That at present, it yields the same determinations of death as those yielded by

A) The whole-brain criterion
B) The higher-brain criterion
C) The cardiopulmonary criterion
D) All of the above

Question 13

Which of the following best characterizes the vegetative state? It is the state of a human organism that has temporarily or permanently lost all function in

A) The entire brain, including the brainstem
B) The cerebral cortex
C) The brainstem
D) The heart and lungs

Question 14

When a patient has assisted cardiopulmonary function but has permanently lost function of the entire brain, that patient is

A) Dead according to the whole-brain criterion
B) Dead according to the higher-brain criterion
C) Alive according to the cardiopulmonary criterion
D) All of the above

Question 15

According the higher-brain criterion, what determines the death of a person is the permanent cessation of function in

A) The entire brain, including the brainstem
B) The cerebral cortex
C) The brainstem
D) The heart and lungs

Question 16

Discuss three types of disorders of consciousness and explain why consciousness might be a matter of degree.

Question 17

State the organismic definition of death and explain how whole-brain theorists use it.

Question 18

Give a reason for, and one against, each of the four accounts of death presented in this chapter.

Question 19

Higher-brain theorists have argued that, from the perspective of the patient, there is no difference between being in PVS and being dead. Yet for the law there is a significant difference. For example, a patient in PVS could have potential heirs but a dead person couldn't. Who is right and why?

Question 20

For some, words such as 'death' and 'dead' are ambiguous. For others, they have just one meaning but can be used metaphorically. What would you say about this debate? Illustrate your answer with examples.