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Below Is an Argument from Analogy Along with a Proposed

Question 2

Multiple Choice

Below is an Argument from Analogy along with a proposed disanalogy that might be used to object to it.
From the options, pick the best relevance test that could be used to determine if the difference cited by the disanalogy is morally relevant. [Pay attention to the way relevance tests are demonstrated in Doing Practical Ethics, Chapter 9.]
The argument:
1) It's permissible for a surgeon to perform breast augmentation on a competent adult who wants it.
2) Performing a clitoridectomy (that is, the surgical excision of the clitoris) on a competent adult who wants it is relevantly similar to performing breast augmentation on a competent adult who wants it.
Thus, it's permissible for a surgeon to perform a clitoridectomy on a competent adult who wants it
Proposed disanalogy: unlike breast augmentation, clitoridectomy deprives a person of the ability to feel sexual pleasure.


A) Suppose a person is going to get a breast augmentation, and the surgeon does an initial exam. She tells the patient that, due to a strange physiological quirk, she will likely lose the ability to feel sexual pleasure if she has the breast augmentation. The patient understands and wants the procedure anyway. Is it still permissible for the surgeon to perform the procedure? Yes. So, the difference is morally relevant.
B) Suppose a competent adult wants to have a clitoridectomy, but she finds out a way to have it done so that she will not be deprived at all of the ability to feel sexual pleasure. She goes to a surgeon who can do the procedure in this new way that doesn't deprive pleasure, and the surgeon does the procedure. Was it still
Permissible for the surgeon to do the procedure now that it doesn't deprive the woman of sexual pleasure? Yes. So, the difference is notrelevant.
C) Suppose a person is going to get a breast augmentation, and the surgeon does an initial exam. She tells the patient that, due to a strange physiological quirk, she will likely lose the ability to feel sexual pleasure if she has the breast augmentation. The patient understands and wants the procedure anyway. Is it still permissible for the surgeon to perform the procedure? Yes. So, the difference is not relevant.
D) It doesn't matter whether the breast augmentation deprives a person of sexual pleasure or not. That difference is not relevant.

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