We have included the questions that appear below the artworks that open each chapter, the journal prompts from the text's color insert, the “In Your Own Words,” and the “Art of Writing” exercises so that you can submit your answers to your instructor via e-mail, should he or she direct you to do so.

From the textbook: Responding to Art, View and Reflect, In Your Own Words, The Art of Writing

Responding to Art (page 411)

1			The first Thinker (1880), sculpted by Auguste Rodin, was part of The Gates of Hell, Rodin's unfinished masterpiece. From his lofty perch at the top of the gate, The Thinker was meant to look down and ponder the sins of humanity. At the request of many patrons, Rodin increased the size of the original sculpture and made it free standing. Today, it is one of the most widely recognized pieces of art in the world. Rodin tried to create a man "who did not just think with his head, but thought with his entire body." What do you think? Did he succeed?
2			In 1970, in Cleveland, Ohio, a bomb was set at the base of an original Rodin Thinker. The feet were badly damaged and the statue is now missing his toes. What do you think should be done to protect masterpieces? The Cleveland Museum decided against encasing the statue in protective glass, and it also decided against having the statue repaired. Do you think the museum made the right decisions?

View and Reflect (color insert page 14)

"A man's dying is more the survivors' affair than his own." — Thomas Mann

3			Write a journal entry in which you reflect on the feelings of the people The Tragedy (1903), by Pablo Picasso, the quotation above, and your own experiences.

View and Reflect (color insert page 15)

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." — George Orwell

4			Write a journal entry in which you reflect on the contrasting points of view expressed by Edward Hicks (the creator of The Peaceable Kingdom, 1834) and George Orwell in the quotation above.

In Your Own Words (page 430)

5			Do you think dying today is more dehumanizing than in the past? Why or why not?
6			Do you have a living will? Why are so many Americans reluctant to make provisions for death?
7			Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the so-called "Dr. Death," insists that those in chronic pain with no chance of recovery have a right to a physician-assisted suicide with the administration of mercy-killing drugs. The Supreme Court has decided that no such general right can be found in the Constitution. Do you think that laws should be passed authorizing physician-assisted suicide? Or, do you think that laws should be passed banning it?
8			The June, 1997 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that "a new analysis of doctor-assisted suicide in the Netherlands suggests that caregivers there have increasingly taken the next, troubling step: ending patients' lives without their permission." The Netherlands has long been considered a model by advocates of assisted suicide in the United States. This new information seems to confirm the fears of U.S. opponents of assisted suicide, which remains illegal in most states. In the political cartoon in your text (on page 431), Steve Benson, an opponent of assisted suicide, addresses this troubling issue. Do you think that the acceptance of euthanasia would lead to a more relaxed attitude toward the taking of life in general and toward taking the lives of those in need of constant attention in particular? What effect would this have on patients' ability to trust their doctors?

The Art of Writing (page 431)

9			Compare and contrast the dying experience described at the beginning of the selection, "The Good Death: Embracing a Right to Die Well," by Sheryl Gay Stolberg (pages 426-428) to that described at the end. From the perspective of the patient, which one would you call a "good death?" From the perspective of the family? Be sure to provide arguments that support your position.
10			The Greek word parts eu meaning "good," and thanatos meaning "death," appear in the word euthanasia, so the literal meaning of this term is "good death." Euthanasia is also thought of as "mercy killing." Euthanasia may be either active or passive: in the first case, death is deliberately inflicted, sometimes by a relative; in the second case, life-support systems are withdrawn and the patient dies naturally. Controversy surrounding the morality of euthanasia has increased in recent years because of advances in medical technology that make it possible for human beings, both newborn and old, to be kept alive almost indefinitely, even when severely impaired. Where do you stand on euthanasia? Do you think life is sacred, so that euthanasia is always wrong? Do you think that the patient's ability to continue to enjoy life should influence the decision? Who should make the decision? The patient? The family? The doctor? The courts? Be sure to provide arguments that support your position.

In Your Own Words

11			Read The Monkey Wars by Deborah Blum (on pages 443-448 of the text). How do the beliefs of the animal rights activists and the animal researchers conflict?
12			Are you convinced by the arguments of the animal rights activists that there is too much animal experimentation today?
13			Do you think Deborah Blum is truly neutral? Where do you think she would draw the line killing animals?
14			Do you think that it is morally acceptable to experiment on humans who possess extremely low intelligence?
15			Would it be morally acceptable to experiment on persons incarcerated for particularly heinous crimes such as murder?
16			Look at the photograph on page 450 of the text. What is the main idea of this picture?

The Art of Writing (page 450)

In a brief essay, respond to one of the items below:

17			Read the article "The Monkey Wars" on pages 443-448 of the text. Then summarize the arguments made by Shirley McGreal and those by Fred King. Which side's arguments do you believe are more persuasive? Why?
18			In "The Monkey Wars," which issues do you think Dr. Merritt argues most persuasively? Summarize his reasons for publicizing an experiment in which he kills monkeys.
19			Some people believe that it is acceptable to experiment on animals such as rats and rabbits, but that it is unacceptable to experiment on animals such as dogs, cats, or monkeys. How do you feel about this issue? Explain your reasoning.

In Your Own Words (page 457)

20			Have you ever seen animals slaughtered on a farm or in a stockyard? Did the experience affect your attitude toward eating meat?
21			Can you think of any advantages of the modern industrial farm as described by Matthew Scully?

The Art of Writing (page 457)

In a brief essay, respond to one of the items below:

22			In the excerpt from Dominion (on pages 452-454), Matthew Scully says that about 80 million of the 95 million hogs slaughtered each year in the U.S. are raised "without benefit of soil or sunshine" in mass-confinement farms These hogs are "genetically designed by machines, inseminated by machines, fed by machines, monitored, herded, electrocuted, stabbed, cleaned, cut, and packaged by machine— themselves treated by machines from birth to bacon." What is your reaction to this description of how hogs are treated in modern industrial farms? Explain.
23			According to Matthew Scully, the typical trophy hunter today is hunting "captive animals." Many of the animals are rejects from zoos or are raised to be killed in a hunt. Many hunters prefer killing captive animals because they "make better-looking trophies." What do you think about the concept of the canned hunt? Explain.

OLC Extra! Reflections on Reading and Study Skills

These Reflections on Reading and Study Skills exercises provide an opportunity for you to think about the skills you learned in the textbook. To complete these exercises and e-mail them to your instructor, type your response in the blank provided here or type your response in a word-processing program and copy and paste it here. Next, edit and proofread your answer carefully. Then insert your instructor's e-mail address in the "to" line and hit "send."

24			How can you use the skills in this chapter to improve your own persuasive writing?
25			Give an example from your own experience where you used deductive reasoning. Then give an example of inductive reasoning.
26			How can you use the scientific process in your own life? Even if you weren't a student, how could you use this process to learn more about the world?