http://jalves1.blogspot.com/2009/10/research-journal-assignment-10a.html
http://stinoeng.blogspot.com/2009/10/rja-10a.html
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
RJA #11b: Visual Aids
1) A diagram illustrating how either, or both types of genetic manipulation is executed.
2) A picture that shows how genetic modifaction is used to treat disease.
3) A table of results of a poll taken to see popular opinion on different aspects of human genetic manipulation
-should it be legalized?
-should it be allowed in embryos?
-is it better or worse overall for society?
-etc.
4) A chart of possible recipients of genetic therapies derived from human genetic manipulation-people who would benefit from the technology based on different ailments or diseases (diabetes, cancer,etc.).
5) Picture/s of people with conditions that can be treated using human genetic manipulation, or of children with medically-involved birth defects that could have been prevented by h.g. manipulation (down syndrome, autism, etc.)?
2) A picture that shows how genetic modifaction is used to treat disease.
3) A table of results of a poll taken to see popular opinion on different aspects of human genetic manipulation
-should it be legalized?
-should it be allowed in embryos?
-is it better or worse overall for society?
-etc.
4) A chart of possible recipients of genetic therapies derived from human genetic manipulation-people who would benefit from the technology based on different ailments or diseases (diabetes, cancer,etc.).
5) Picture/s of people with conditions that can be treated using human genetic manipulation, or of children with medically-involved birth defects that could have been prevented by h.g. manipulation (down syndrome, autism, etc.)?
RJA #11a: Introduction
Imagine you have cancer- metastatic melanoma to be exact, which means that your immune system is deficient and can't help you recover if you get sick. This means that if you get even the slightest cold or minor infection it could cause you to become violently ill or possibly die. Now imagine there's a treatment that could significatly restore your immunities by attacking the cancer cells and bolstering your health- sounds like something out of a science-fiction book right? Wrong! With human gene therapies and human genetic manipulation, this relief as well as many other treatments are already possible. Human genetic manipulation and testing should only be allowed for the purpose of treating malevolent medical conditions. This would set a clear guideline on how far the implementation of this technology could go which will prevent possible, negative consequences such as engineering people for aesthetic purposes, or overpopulation due to extended longevity. While preventing overuse and abuse of this powerful new technology, such restrictions will allow this research to be utilized to help improve the lives of millions.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
RJA #10b: Argument
Argument:
+++Reason 1
--Practical-Human genetic manipulation can alleviate existing conditions for people who suffer from genetic diseases: spina bifita, autism, certain types of cancer,etc.
-less expensive therapy without potential side effects (other medications or radiation therapy)
-Ethics-utilitarian approach (maximizing happiness/minimizing suffering)
+++Reason 2
--Practical-germ line manipulation would allow children to be born without maladies which means less suffering on their part, and less expenditures on health care
-this research could allow parents to prevent their child being born with preventable diseases, but the line must be drawn at what is absolutely necessary for well-being
-Draws the line at necessary medical conditions.
-preventing engineered people for purposes that aren't medically important would disallow 'designer babies'
-could prevent diseases from being passed to subsequent generations.
-Ethical-Utilitarianism, Deontology (respects a universal maxim that all would chose to be born free of maladies)
+++Reason 3
--Practical-If we use genetic engineering too extensively, then there will be societal drawbacks:
-with cosmetic human genetic manipulation people's differences would be more scrutinized in a malevolent sense because engineered people would be 'elite' as opposed to people born with 'flaws'.
-if human genetic manipulation was limited to disease-control/prevention purposes alone, it would prevent weapons applications also
-too much genetic manipulation could cause unforeseen consequences such as DNA degeneration or mutation
-too much manipulation on traits like longevity will greatly affect the rate of population growth.
-Ethical-utilitarianism (max. happiness by preventing discrimination, etc. spurred by creating people- reference Hitler) Deontology (Preserves the humanity and individualism of an unborn person by not changing physical traits for cosmetic purposes)
+++Reason 1
--Practical-Human genetic manipulation can alleviate existing conditions for people who suffer from genetic diseases: spina bifita, autism, certain types of cancer,etc.
-less expensive therapy without potential side effects (other medications or radiation therapy)
-Ethics-utilitarian approach (maximizing happiness/minimizing suffering)
+++Reason 2
--Practical-germ line manipulation would allow children to be born without maladies which means less suffering on their part, and less expenditures on health care
-this research could allow parents to prevent their child being born with preventable diseases, but the line must be drawn at what is absolutely necessary for well-being
-Draws the line at necessary medical conditions.
-preventing engineered people for purposes that aren't medically important would disallow 'designer babies'
-could prevent diseases from being passed to subsequent generations.
-Ethical-Utilitarianism, Deontology (respects a universal maxim that all would chose to be born free of maladies)
+++Reason 3
--Practical-If we use genetic engineering too extensively, then there will be societal drawbacks:
-with cosmetic human genetic manipulation people's differences would be more scrutinized in a malevolent sense because engineered people would be 'elite' as opposed to people born with 'flaws'.
-if human genetic manipulation was limited to disease-control/prevention purposes alone, it would prevent weapons applications also
-too much genetic manipulation could cause unforeseen consequences such as DNA degeneration or mutation
-too much manipulation on traits like longevity will greatly affect the rate of population growth.
-Ethical-utilitarianism (max. happiness by preventing discrimination, etc. spurred by creating people- reference Hitler) Deontology (Preserves the humanity and individualism of an unborn person by not changing physical traits for cosmetic purposes)
RJA #10a: Thesis Statement
Research Question-
Should human genetic manipulation and testing be legalized for medical purposes?
Precise Claim-
Human genetic manipulation and testing on humans should be legalized for medical purposes, but only for treatment of serious existing medical conditions.
Reasons-
1)Human genetic manipulation can alleviate existing conditions for people who suffer from genetic diseases such as spina bifita, autism, etc.
-less expensive therapy without potential side effects
2)This research can allow parents to prevent their child being born with preventable diseases but the distinction must be made between what is medically necessary and what isn't- therefore it would prevent manipulation from going too far-i.e. engineering people to be a specific way (physical attributes, mental capacity, etc.)
3)If we use genetic enginnering too extensively, then there will be societal drawbacks such as overpopulation.
Thesis:
Human genetic manipulation and testing should only be allowed for the purpose of treating malevolent medical conditions. This would set a clear guideline on how far the implementation of this technology could go which will prevent possible negative consequences such as engineering people for unnecessary purposes and overpopulation due to extended longevity, and it will allow this research to be utilized to help improve the lives of already-living people.
Should human genetic manipulation and testing be legalized for medical purposes?
Precise Claim-
Human genetic manipulation and testing on humans should be legalized for medical purposes, but only for treatment of serious existing medical conditions.
Reasons-
1)Human genetic manipulation can alleviate existing conditions for people who suffer from genetic diseases such as spina bifita, autism, etc.
-less expensive therapy without potential side effects
2)This research can allow parents to prevent their child being born with preventable diseases but the distinction must be made between what is medically necessary and what isn't- therefore it would prevent manipulation from going too far-i.e. engineering people to be a specific way (physical attributes, mental capacity, etc.)
3)If we use genetic enginnering too extensively, then there will be societal drawbacks such as overpopulation.
Thesis:
Human genetic manipulation and testing should only be allowed for the purpose of treating malevolent medical conditions. This would set a clear guideline on how far the implementation of this technology could go which will prevent possible negative consequences such as engineering people for unnecessary purposes and overpopulation due to extended longevity, and it will allow this research to be utilized to help improve the lives of already-living people.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
RJA #9: Evaluation of Sources
-Gunderson, Martin. "Seeking Perfection: A Kantian Look at Human Genetic". Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics 2007: 87-102.
This source seems very credible because it has a lot of outside research. It's not exacty practically credible necessarily though because it deals a lot with ethics which can be subjective at times. The article is published in a medical journal though so it should be credible enough for me to use in my paper.
-Simmons, D. (2008) Genetic inequality: Human genetic engineering. Nature Education 1(1)
This source seems pretty credible also. It is published by a site that has a lot of credibility and self-asserts itself as being academic. I think I can use this in my paper, but i'll have to be careful that I use information written by the experts and not people who are replying or commenting.
-Shanks, Pete. Human Genetic Engineering: A Guide for Activists, Skeptics, and the Very Perplexed. New York: Nation Books, 2005.
This book seems very credible becasue the author has a couple of degrees and he has written other scholarly books on similar subjects. The sources for his writing are vast and diverse so I believe he got an objective view of the topic.
-Marks, Stephen. "Tying Prometheus down: The international law of human genetic manipulation". Chicago Journal of International Law . Chicago: University of Chicago Law School, 2002.
This source is credible because it's published by a very known and respected journal. The journal is published by the University of Chicago Law School as well, which leads me to believe that this source is extremely accurate, and worth using on my paper.
-Communications and Public Liaison Branch, "Genome.gov". National Human Genome Research Institute. 10/15/2009 http://www.genome.gov/Research/.
This is a very credible source too. The human genome project is the organization that doesn't the majority of research on human genetics in the U.S. so it's safe to assume that their website has good information.
-AllAboutGOD.com. "Human Genetic Engineering- A Very Hot Issue!". All About Popular Issues. 10/15/2009 http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/human-genetic-engineering.htm.
This website might not be very credible. On the surface it looks like it holds water, but after further analysis I found that it was created by a religious group so the information is probably swayed to protect religious beliefs and/or interests. I highly doubt i'll be using this source for my paper.
This source seems very credible because it has a lot of outside research. It's not exacty practically credible necessarily though because it deals a lot with ethics which can be subjective at times. The article is published in a medical journal though so it should be credible enough for me to use in my paper.
-Simmons, D. (2008) Genetic inequality: Human genetic engineering. Nature Education 1(1)
This source seems pretty credible also. It is published by a site that has a lot of credibility and self-asserts itself as being academic. I think I can use this in my paper, but i'll have to be careful that I use information written by the experts and not people who are replying or commenting.
-Shanks, Pete. Human Genetic Engineering: A Guide for Activists, Skeptics, and the Very Perplexed. New York: Nation Books, 2005.
This book seems very credible becasue the author has a couple of degrees and he has written other scholarly books on similar subjects. The sources for his writing are vast and diverse so I believe he got an objective view of the topic.
-Marks, Stephen. "Tying Prometheus down: The international law of human genetic manipulation". Chicago Journal of International Law . Chicago: University of Chicago Law School, 2002.
This source is credible because it's published by a very known and respected journal. The journal is published by the University of Chicago Law School as well, which leads me to believe that this source is extremely accurate, and worth using on my paper.
-Communications and Public Liaison Branch, "Genome.gov". National Human Genome Research Institute. 10/15/2009 http://www.genome.gov/Research/.
This is a very credible source too. The human genome project is the organization that doesn't the majority of research on human genetics in the U.S. so it's safe to assume that their website has good information.
-AllAboutGOD.com. "Human Genetic Engineering- A Very Hot Issue!". All About Popular Issues. 10/15/2009 http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/human-genetic-engineering.htm.
This website might not be very credible. On the surface it looks like it holds water, but after further analysis I found that it was created by a religious group so the information is probably swayed to protect religious beliefs and/or interests. I highly doubt i'll be using this source for my paper.
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