Question 1

Which of the following views MUST be rejected by someone who accepts the Hedonic view of well-being?

Accepted Answer

A)  What you do not know about can harm you. 
B)  What never affects your experiences cannot harm you. 
C)  Death cannot harm the one who dies. 
D)  Someone else's death can never harm you. B

Question 2

Nagel's argument is supposed to establish:

Accepted Answer

A)  That what a person does not know about cannot harm her. 
B)  That a person's death cannot be a harm to her. 
C)  That a person could be harmed by her own death. 
D)  That hedonism is correct. C

Question 3

Could a person who accepts the Hedonic Variant of the Epicurean argument believe that persons could be harmed by events that occur after they are dead? Why, or why not? How is this question related to the question of whether or not death is a harm to the person who dies?

Accepted Answer

The Hedonic Variant of the Epicurean argument states that pleasure is the highest good and that pain is the ultimate evil. According to this view, a person who accepts this argument may believe that events that occur after they are dead could potentially harm them if those events cause pain or suffering to others who are still alive. This is because the suffering of others could potentially impact the overall pleasure and well-being of society, which could indirectly affect the deceased person's legacy or the memories that others hold of them.

This question is related to the broader question of whether or not death is a harm to the person who dies because it raises the issue of how we understand harm and its relationship to the individual's experience. If a person believes that events occurring after their death could potentially harm them, it suggests that they view harm as extending beyond their physical existence and into the impact they have on others or the memories and legacy they leave behind. This ties into the question of whether death itself is a harm, as it forces us to consider the potential ongoing impact of our lives and actions even after we are no longer present. Ultimately, the answer to this question may vary depending on an individual's beliefs and philosophical outlook, but it highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of the concept of harm in relation to death and the individual experience.

Question 4

What is NOT true on the interest-based account of well-being?

Accepted Answer

A)  A person could be harmed by an event that occurs after her death. 
B)  A person could be harmed by her death. 
C)  A person could be harmed by something that she does not know about. 
D)  None of the above.

Question 5

Which Variant of the Epicurean argument is the most fundamental, and why?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Existence Variant is the most fundamental, for a person must exist to die. 
B)  The Existence Variant is the most fundamental, for the Hedonic variant rests on its central claim. 
C)  The Hedonic Variant is the most fundamental, for a person must experience to die. 
D)  The Hedonic Variant is the most fundamental, for the Existence variant rests on its central claim.

Question 6

Are you persuaded by the Epicurean view of death? Do you believe that its defenders have adequately responded to Nagel's and Feldman's arguments?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Are you persuaded by the Epicurean view...

Question 7

Which view does Epicurus NOT accept?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dying could be bad for the one who dies. 
B)  Death is bad for the one who dies. 
C)  We should not fear our own deaths. 
D)  Harm consists of unpleasant sensations.

Exam 10: Why Death Is Not Bad for the One Who Dies