Why do unresponsive patients still matter? / Anthony Fisher -- Are we morally obliged to feed pvs patients till natural death? / Michael Degnan -- Caring for persons in the "persistent vegetative state" and Pope John Paul II's March 20 2004 address on "life-sustaining treatments and the vegetative state" / William E. May -- Food and fluids : human law, human rights and human interests / Jacqueline Laing -- Quality of life and assisted nutrition / Alfonso Gómez-Lobo -- Towards ethical guidelines for the use of artificial nutrition and hydration / Joseph Boyle -- Understanding the ethics of artificially providing food and water / J.L.A. Garcia -- The ethics of Pope John Paul II's allocution on care of the PVS patient : a response to J.L.A. Garcia / Peter J. Cataldo -- Reflections on the papal allocution concerning care for PVS patients / Kevin O'Rourke -- The papal allocution concerning care for PVS patients : a reply to Fr. O'Rourke / Patrick Lee -- Response to Patrick Lee / Kevin O'Rourke -- The morality of tube feeding PVS patients : a critique of the view of Kevin O'Rourke, O.P. / Mark S. Latkovic -- Ten errors regarding end of life issues, and especially artificial nutrition and hydration / Christopher Tollefsen