Ethical issues regarding stem cell research Essay

One of the recent significant breakthroughs in the field of biomedicine is the discovery, isolation and the ultimate culturing of stem cells from human embryos. The stem cells which are isolated form embryos are unique in that they are able to self renew and still retain capacity to differentiate too many forms of tissue cells. Cultured embryonic stem cells also have the potential of being developed to make regenerative medicine which can be used to treat fatal or debilitating conditions which while treated with normal prescriptions they are not curable. The embryonic stem cells are also capable of prolonging lives of individuals. Despite their potential to cure otherwise incurable diseases and to prolong lives, this discovery has led to questions regarding the value of life. While harvesting or extracting the embryonic stem cells, there are high possibilities of destroying the embryos thus bringing to an end possible human life. The question which arises is whether the lives of these possible human lives should be sacrificed for the improvement of the already existing human beings (Mcgee & Caplan, para 2-3). Ethical issues regarding stem cell research One of the major ethical dilemmas facing the embryonic research is the tension created between two moral principles which are highly esteemed. One of the moral principles entails prevention and also alleviation of pain and suffering while the other principle highly regards the value of life. Moral ethics requires people to respect and value human life and also to eliminate pain or possibilities of suffering in individuals. During extraction of embryonic stem cells, there are high possibilities of destroying the embryo thus destroying a possible life. However, such activities have the potential of alleviating pain and curing some of the diseases which are terminal. As such, embryonic stem cells fulfill the moral principle of alleviating and improving the medical conditions of individuals (Rickard, Para 5). However, despite the above possible advantages, destruction of embryos during stem cells harvesting is a violation of the second moral principle which deals with the value of human life. As noted earlier, embryos harvesting results in their destruction thus destruction of life. Life is said to begin when fertilization takes place thus embryos are living things and thus destroying them would amount to destruction of life or devaluation of the value of life. The two moral principles cannot be respected simultaneously as fulfilling one would amount to violation of the other. This raises a conflict as to which principle should be given more weight. Should improvement of and alleviation of suffering be considered first thus permit stem cell research which is destructive or should this research be prohibited due to its destructive nature and violation of the value of human life? This is a major ethical issue which faces this research and which has led to sharp differences in the biomedical field (Shapiro, para 7). Another ethical issue surrounding the stem cell research is based on the intention behind the creation of embryos. Ethics is mainly based or evaluated in terms of the motive and intention behind an action. People opposed to stem cell research argue that it should only be permissible to create embryos if they are meant for reproductive purposes. Creating embryos only to be destroyed for research purposes is impermissible as this would lead to intentional destruction of human life. However, researchers argue that while they create embryos for reproductive functions, they create them in excess and most of them are just discarded. As such, instead of discarding them, such embryos can be used for research and also to help in the formation of medicine for the terminal illnesses. Ethical issues arise between the significance of creation of embryos for reproduction versus for research purposes (Gruen, Grabel & Singer, pp 134). Viability of embryos debates also raises some ethical issues concerning the stem cell research. The viability of embryos is based on the notion that some embryos though they develop, they do not develop to certain stages and thus are only discarded. As such, they should be used to alleviate, alleviate and improve the lives of already existing human beings. Embryos after they are created awaiting reproduction, they develop to certain stages after which they can only be discarded if taken up for reproduction functions. Instead of discarding them, some researchers argue that they should be used for research purposes which would yield more benefits. Ethical questions however arise as to whether researchers would not deliberately create more embryos than required to use them for their research in the name of their non viability (Williams, & Johnson, para 9). Conclusion Stem cell research has led to controversial debates which are based on the ethical and moral issues regarding life and its value. While some people feel that this research should be used to help in developing medicine for alleviating suffering to terminally ill individuals, others feel that allowing this research would only lead to destruction of possible human life. However, the question of the embryos which are discarded after they become non viable for production purposes also arises. Moral judgment on whether non viable embryos should be discarded instead of being used for research which could be of greater impact forms a major debate. While deciding on whether stem cell research should be allowed or prohibited, all possible impacts on the social status should be considered. The benefits of the research should be weighed against the negative impacts before reaching and agreement. The surrounding circumstances should also be considered while debating on the stem cell research. Work cited: Gruen Lori, Grabel Laura & Singer Peter: Stem Cell Research: The Ethical Issues. (2007). Published by Blackwell. ISBN 1405160624 Mcgee, Glenn & Caplan, Arthur L. : Stem Cell Research. (2001). Journal article of The Hastings Center Report, Vol. 31 Rickard, Maurice: Key Ethical Issues in Embryonic Stem Cell Research. (2002). Retrieved on 10th March 2009 from, http://www. aph. gov. au/library/pubs/CIB/2002-03/03cib05. pdf. Shapiro, Robyn S. : Bioethics and the Stem Cell Research Debate. (2006). Journal article of Social Education, Vol. 70 Sherlock, Richard & Morrey, John D. : Ethical Issues in Biotechnology. (

Fables and Short Stories. the Fox and the Grape vs. a Pair of Tickets

Reading Fables and Short Stories Fables, parables and short stories all tell a story and all try to relay a meaningful message or moral. Fables tend to be shorter, use animals and clearly state the moral the author is trying to portray. Parables also tell a story and portray a message, but it basically illustrates a moral or religious lesson. Therefore, I guess it is safe to say that all parables can be fables but not all fables can be a parable. Short stories however tend to be a lot longer than a fable or parable and also use a lot of literary elements.These elements are plot, settings, point of view, characters, dialogue and others. In this essay, I will be talking about Aesop’s fable, â€Å"The Fox and the Grapes† and Amy Tan’s short story, â€Å"A Pair of Tickets. † I will try to explain the morals for each story and how the author portrays these morals. Aesop’s fable, â€Å"The Fox and the Grapes,† is a very short fable with a really bi g moral. It is simply a story about a famished fox trying to find food. He finally stumbles upon ripe grapes. However, instead of complaining that they are out of his reach, he concludes that they were inadequate and not good for eating.The reason this fable catches my attention is because I am amazed on how Aesop can put such an important moral in the fable by using a fox and grapes. Also, the fable is so short but also has such a big meaning. I believe there are many morals in the stories, such as, you can’t always get what you want. However, the main moral of this story, which is very clearly stated, is, â€Å"it is easy to despise what you can’t get† (Aesop 7). Since this fable is so short and has such a powerful moral, it is very easy to remember, making it very easy to retell. This fable also has such a hysterical plot twist and this is what makes it a great fable.The fox is supposedly so hungry but when he can’t reach the grapes, he all of a sudden is not hungry anymore and does not find the grapes appealing. This is why I think ‘plot twist’ is the most important part of a fable because it is when the moral is given to us. The short story, â€Å"A Pair of Tickets† by Amy Tan is about an American woman of Chinese descent who is struggling to accept her Chinese heritage. Jing-mei is the protagonist in this story and she is traveling to China with her father to meet her family and to understand her Chinese culture. The element that is most intriguing to me in this story is symbolism.I realize this when Jing-mei is on a train in China to go visit her family and it is so hot that the makeup on her face begins to literally melt off her face. â€Å"But I had not expected the heat in October. And now my hair hangs limp with humidity. I wear no makeup; in Hong Kong my mascara had melted into dark circles and everything else had felt like layers of grease. So today my face is plain, unadorned except for a thin mist of shiny sweat on my forehead and nose† (Tan 148). I believe the melting of the makeup symbolizes her acceptance of her Chinese heritage and is becoming a whole new person.It also symbolizes that she is growing up and finally realizing how important your heritage is to you and how it shapes the person you are. While Jing-mei is on this trip, I think she begins to realize that her family is more like her than she thought. When she meets her father’s family, her cousin Lili, she says, â€Å"I hold up the Polaroid camera, beckoning Lili with my finger. She immediately jumps forward, places one hand on her hip in the manner of a fashion model†¦ † (Tan 150). I think this is when she first realizes that maybe she isn’t that much different than her family in China.She probably thinks back at when she was younger and remembers that she had pose in the same manner her cousin Lili did. The other realization Jing-mei has that her family and China isn’t t hat much different than her and America is when she enters the hotel. â€Å"The hotel is magnificent. A bellboy complete with uniform and sharp-creased cap jumps forward begins to carry our bags into the lobby† (Tan 151). The hotels are as nice as she has most likely seen in America. She was most likely expecting a small hotel with nothing but a bed in the room. The hotel is also like a shopping mall with a bunch of shops in it.I believe all these things make Jing-mei realize she isn’t that different then the family she never knew and how important family is. In conclusion, Aesop’s fable, â€Å"The Fox and the Grapes, as well as Amy Tans short story, â€Å"A Pair of Tickets,† have a moral. Obviously, it is easier to find the moral in the fable, which is, it is easy to criticize something you can’t have. Howev11er, I believe the moral in â€Å"A Pair of Tickets,† is never lose sight of where you came from, always remember that family comes f irst and that you’re background and where you come from helps build your character.I don’t think it is wrong to reduce a short story to a simple ‘moral’ as one usually does in a fable or parable. I believe every writer writes his or her story to make a point or to teach a lesson. I think the writer is happy when the reader learns a lesson from his or hers stories. When writers use plot, setting, characters, or other literary elements, I believe they do this to paint a clearer picture for the reader so the reader can really understand the moral the author is trying to relay through the story.

Data Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Data Analysis - Essay Example Eckel and Grossman (1998) in their study have addressed the same issues. Another prominent study conducted by Fehr and Gatcher (2000) in which they further relate financial altruism to various factors. The current research work explores the altruism behavior within the context of behavioral finance and can be considered as an attempt to add to the literature that is already present on the topic. The study would also try to achieve some research objectives and answer research questions that have been listed below. The authors Eckel & Grossman (1998) clearly illustrated the difference in economic decisions between men and women. A number of studies were conducted in the past regarding similar subject matter. These studies were not only conducted for the field of economics but also psychology to assess the difference in approach between men and women. However, these studies were not able to draw the factors that create distinction between behavior behind economic decisions in both the genders because they did not know about gender being selfish or not. It can be well-stated that conclusions regarding the chosen subject cannot be achieved until or unless the behavior is easily gauged in a general environment. This indicates that the previous studies were unable to demonstrate differences other than experimental environment. Therefore, Eckel & Grossman (1998) introduced double-anonymous dictator game experiment to collect data to find the core difference of behavior of men and women while underta king economic decisions (Eckel and Grossman 1998). The authors of the study undertook testing of the hypothesis that exclaimed no difference between men and women and then the donations were taken under consideration. It was noted that men donated $0.82 on average while the amount was $1.60 among women. The statistical observation marked that p-value was less than 0.01. It is due to this reason that null hypothesis was rejected by further

The Cove Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Cove - Movie Review Example e cameras were positioned in such a way that Taiji fisherman had no clue about their presence which is wrong concerning it was their country and they should have been given full information before recording their hunting activities by filmmakers. Also, it is argued that much of the information unveiled in the film is edited by the producers in such a way that real facts are left mutilated and twisted. Real information is not conveyed to the world, rather it is edited in a wrong way. Secret filming involving use of high-resolution cameras disguised as rocks and underwater microphones is the cause of conflict between the documentarians and Japanese fishermen. The cameras were in fact so well hidden to capture hunting footage of dolphins that the crewmen themselves had a hard time finding those cameras later. Many have argued about whether the film should even be considered a documentary or not given the fact that certain scenes look heavily staged due to the possible use of choreograph y. The portrayal of dichotomy between the crew and local fishermen in The Cove does not reduce conflict in any possible way. Rather, it has served to create new instances judging by the huge political and national upheaval caused since the film’s release. There is more anger and belligerence now than ever before for the Western media and activists in Japan. Not only they see the movie as a direct breach of their privacy, but they also consider arguments raised by the Western activists as ethnocentric. This is because they are trying to judge the Japanese culture through the lens of their self-created cultural standards. Very defiant behaviour is maintained by Japanese people towards the anti-whaling activists. The film is an effort to force Japan to curb dolphin hunting leaving no room for negotiation. This is a wrong strategy and is responsible for creating new troublesome instances like riots between Taiji fishermen and foreign activists. The Japanese people have openly object ed to

Creating a Flowchart Design for the Validation Check Process Lab Report

Creating a Flowchart Design for the Validation Check Process - Lab Report Example Input validation check may either use blacklisting approach or white-listing approach. White-listing allows programmer to define the data that should be accepted in an entry while blacklisting does the opposite. That is, a blacklist approach defines a set of ‘known bad inputs’ that should not be accepted as an input whereas a white-list defines a set of known good inputs. Using the two approaches, one of the input checks may be application of a white-list. The auditor may consider checking the accepted data types in each entry. For example in the access routine number to payroll by the operator, one may specify that the input must consider of letters, special characters such as dollar sign and numbers. Since it acts like a password, the combination ensures security when it comes to accessibility (Nick, 2003). Additionally, employees’ number inputs may be restricted to letters and numbers only e.g kw997836. Besides, another input validation check to consider is canonicalization of all inputs. This involves reducing data received to its simplest form. Simplifying one input may facilitate bypassing of validation functions. Thus canonicalization ensures that any malicious user do not bypass the validation function (Nick, 2003). Last but not least, one may consider creating checks for the system content. Check for content specifies the maximum and minimum lengths of entries and probably the syntax. For example, in the employees’ number input slot, one may specify that the letters comes before numbers and the maximum number of characters is 6. The specification ensures that a malicious user does not paste several input data in the entry (Nick,

The Organizational Structure of the Business Research Paper

The Organizational Structure of the Business - Research Paper Example The involvement of operational staff in a budget setting will facilitate the budgetary control system and will eliminate variances. The operating staff well knows about the operating costs and thus should be involved in the budget setting. Involving staff in the budget set is not considered comfortable as it can cause a clash between departments but it can be quite helpful in smoother running operations. Budgets, which are kept secretive and made by the manager often, fail to implement. The staff often reacts severely against such budgets. It can lead to a feeling of mistrust and frustration. It can lead to misdirection and waste of resources. True integration is lacked in budgets in which staff is not involved. Ambiguous financial data should be converted into meaningful information. Operational staff must be educated about the budget and then involved in decision-making. The budget sets guidelines available for each segment. Controlling aspect of budget means to keep in check the c ontrollable costs with budgeted costs. The responsibility for cost control is assigned to the manager of the cost department who is responsible for controlling the cost under his control. For controlling the cost accountant must use standard values. This involves creating inventory values for costing and controlling physical quantities and choosing such alternatives, which might increase revenue and decrease costs. It involves executing such budgets for operating under expected competitive and economic conditions. The budget should be set within an overall organizational planning and control framework.

Hip Hop Culture Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hip Hop Culture - Article Example As an editor of this magazine, I was motivated by the fact I m a hip hop artist who has been inspired by the rap culture. In this magazine, I have talked about what hip hop entails, its origin, and influence on society. Introduction Hip hop is a wide conglomerate of artistic activities characterized by aspects of rap music. These aspects are oral, turn tablism, deejaying and breaking or break dancing. Rapping/ emceeing and spitting are spoken or chanted form of rhythmical lyrics which are accompanied by strong rhythm. The main components of hip hop music are content, flow and delivery. It is significant to note that there is a variable distinction between rap and spoken poetry in that rap is performed in accordance the musical beat while spoken can be performed with or without musical beats (Attridge 23-25). Deejaying as part of hip hop refers to a method of creating manipulation of sounds utilizing phonograph turn tables and a DJ mixer. Later, the element of Scratching introduced to the field of deejaying. Break dancing is a style that is associated with hip hop culture in that it brings people of common interests together. It is important to note that breaking dancing or any dance associated with hip hop borrows some traditional aspects from street dancing. deejays at work The connection between hip hop culture and graffiti is based on its establishment on early graffiti musicians and artists who used graffiti in their work to present their views on different aspects affecting the society. Graffiti is perceived as visual expression of hip hop or rap music. Hip hop culture originated in New York among African Americans in the twentieth century. Street culture has been in existence for a long time since it was seen as a direct way that one could express his or her ideas. Hip hop break dancing Origin of hip hop culture The origin of hip hop or rap music is associated with people like Dj Kool Herc and others. He is perceived as being influential in the establishm ent of hip hop since he incorporated traditional Jamaica culture in the genre. For instance, he pioneered development of things such as boastful poetry, speech and impromptu toasting, boastful poetry in music. Additionally, he is thought to have introduced the aspect of break-beat deejaying (Ogbar 65). This is a situation where funk songs breaks are separated from the main song and repetition is created which targeted nigh dance parties. Hard funk form forms the backbone of hip hop music (Edwards 39). Since hip hop came into prominence in the 1970s, DJs started releasing many records in order to capture the attention of people and introduce them to the new type of singing. During the 1970s, street gangs dwelled in abject poverty and engaged in violent acts. In an attempt to avoid breaking the law, they started rapping and writing graffiti in order to keep themselves busy and sale their records. By the end of 1970s, hip hop culture had attained media concentration in the U.S and othe r parts of the world. Influence of hip hop culture in society Positive effects of hip hop culture Hip hop culture has affected society in different ways. The development of mass communication helped in the rapid spread of hip hop culture. When young people listen to the rap songs,