...in this day and age is improving very quickly and the innovation of helping others using various different methods is rapidly changing. Embryonic stem cell research is a very controversial topic in society at this moment and there are many people who believe in the use and many who oppose the method. Embryonic stem cells can possibly be used to cure many of humanities common ailments because of their unique qualities in being able to grow into many different types of cells. With this capability we have the capability to restore failing organs and other diseases. The ethically controversial part of this topic is the method of retrieving such stem cells. Stem cells are derived from an embryo, which requires...
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...“Embryo Research is ethically justifiable.” - Discuss Genetic engineering is an umbrella term for all gene modification and research that is taking place in modern science. Embryonic research has results in multiple successes including stem cell research but has come under serious controversy for using potential life for gain with no regard for that life. T - Kantian Ethics is purely deontological looking at doing duty for duties sake not the outcome of an action therefore for Kantian ethics to agree with the statement Embryonic research must pass the categorical imperative. I - An example of embryonic research includes eugenic genetic engineering in which germ-line therapy to create a better ‘race’ of people by changing the genetic makeup of future generations. C - Although eugenic genetics is illegal in most countries, examples have been seen throughout history such as Hitler’s arian race in which he tried to exterminate other unworthy races like jews. K - Eugenic engineering would have to passed the principle of universalisability; in which the moral choice would have to be universal across everyone worldwide without conflict interests. Eugenic engineering would not be successful, by choosing to create a certain race it would create huge conflict from those who do not fit the model. Minorities would be ignored and potentially discriminated upon. E - When applied to the issue, the principle of universalisability becomes an unrealistic choice to make an ethical decision...
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...engineering while others believe the process is unethical and should be banned as they claim scientists are ‘playing god’. Ethics is the philosophical study of what is morally right or wrong. It is a system of moral principles. They affect how people make decisions and lead their lives. Philosophers tend to divide ethical theories into three areas; meta-ethics, normative ethics and applied ethics. This was first done by David Hume the philosopher who argued how we should look at ethical situations. “Meta-ethics looks at the meaning of language used in ethics, and raises questions about truth. Normative ethics tries to find practical moral standards that we can all live our lives by. These are also called ethical theories. Applied ethics is the application of theories about whether something is right or wrong in specific issues.” Distance Learning Centre, Ethics Pack, 2012. In the 1960’s a professor, Joseph Fletcher founded the theory Situation Ethics. In Situation Ethics right and wrong depend on the situation. There are no universal moral rules or rights, each case is unique and deserves a unique solution. “Situation Ethics is all about agape or love. You should always do the most loving thing” Distance Learning Centre, Ethics Pack, 2012. There are four working principles that Fletcher makes before setting out the situational ethics theory. Pragmatism is the course of action must be practical and work. Relativism is when all decisions must be relative to agape and there are no fixed...
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...Scientific research has come a long way since the first use of human embryos to treat and prevent diseases. The polio vaccine was invented in the 1950’s from the use of human fetal kidney cells, fetuses in uteri were used to develop techniques like amniocenteses and improving knowledge about congenital heart disease in the 1970’s, and in the 1980’s the transplantation of fetal tissue into adults to help with serious conditions like, diabetes or Parkinson’s (Gold, 2004). While there has always been concern and controversy over the use of human embryonic cells, today the debate is ethical. This ethical debate lies within the destruction of human embryos in order to use them for medical research. This paper will talk about how two different theories; utilitarianism and relativism view this ethical issue and the problem it presents, as well as my personal views on use of embryonic stem cell research. The theory of utilitarianism determines what is best by looking at the results of an act. According to Mosser (2010, section 1.7), “utilitarianism argues that, given a set of choices, the act we should choose is that which produces the best results for the greatest number affected by that choice.” When looking at the use of embryonic stem cells for research, utilitarianism looks at the end result. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to save lives by curing diseases and through the use of transplantation. While some utilitarianism’s may still view the destruction of these cells as the...
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...PART A: The Principal of family determination in organ donation ABSTRACT: This article is written by Mingxu wang,, Wen zang, Xueliang Wang. In this article the point which is stressed upon is that wether family should be given the right to give consent for organ donation of a person if he himself has not stated any statement regarding his will on organ donation. Many ethical views of different societies are discussed, especially the Chinese including the Confucians. Some cases are also explained at the end in which the families of the dead are taking decision about the organ donations. Other problems relating to this matter are also highlighted. There are many school of thoughts based on different religions and different societies. In this article the Chinese, Confucians and Mencius are discussed in detail. The Chinese place their families at a very high position. They give a lot of importance and thus during the process of deciding wether to donate the organs or not, the family is given the highest authority. Confucians however not in favour of the process of organ transplantation. Their point of view is different. They like to keep their moral values. According to them the parts of an individual are gifts from their parents and they should not be messed with.They should be left as such. My opinion, after reading this article, is that after a person dies and he has not stated that wether he would not like to donate the organs then the decision...
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...Embryonic Stem Cell Research In 1998, the world was introduced to the start of embryonic stem cell research. It has since been the topic of a heated debate between politicians, religious figures, ethicists, theologians and scientists. It raises the question of whether or not the ends justify the means. Many people seem to have a different answer to this question but the overall response from a Catholic position, from an individual and Catholic Church standpoint is loud and clear: embryonic stem cell research is immoral. The sanctity of life is held in high regard in the Catholic tradition, therefore making embryonic stem cell research morally wrong. To justify this, it is important to consider whether or not an embryo is a human from perspectives that are for and against this research, and their justifications. Whilst there is no united Catholic view, drawing from traditional ethics and Catholic principles can give an estimate of the overall Catholic perspective on the treatment of human embryos as opposed to the foreseen medical benefits on the other end of the spectrum. In a broad sense, the use of human embryos is unjustifiable and wrong in the eyes of the Catholic community, no matter how promising the benefits are as it involves the killing of an embryo, and thus by extension, can be regarded as murder. “We value the preciousness of life…as far as IVF embryos are concerned, those who have the responsibility make those decisions, have already made an important ethical decision…the...
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...The desire to reproduce is at the core of one’s biological being. The aspiration to pass on genetic makeup through offspring is perhaps the most innate evolutionary urge that is shared among all animals. The ability to pass on one’s DNA through offspring is one of the most basic, evolutionary and universal trait that is shared among all species and one that has stood the test of time. It is a natural form of ensuring that a part of one’s legacy will remain long after one’s passing. Regardless, of whether or not one is afflicted with the biological urge to conceive, one cannot underestimate the societal pressure that is placed on having children. Everyone, at one point or another, has to face the inevitable question by family or friends: “When are you planning to have kids?” or “Why don’t you have children?” Society views having children as a rite of passage and is a universally shared expectation of individuals. Therefore, naturally it is quiet distressing when one is unable to reproduce by natural means. In today’s contemporary society, man is so used to controlling its world and has devised many ways to overcome the constraints set forth by nature. For example proper family planning often involves the use of contraceptives in order to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, and when people are ready to have a child, they sometimes discover that achieving conception is not as easy as they imagined. According to World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Center of Health Statistics...
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...Unit 9 Final Project HU – 245 - 10 Professor Ronald Wade Erin Broker 8/30/2009 Kaplan University Unit 9 Final Project Introduction Ethics is the area of study that deals with morality and how we make decisions about how we behave as individuals and how our actions reflect our values and conduct towards one another. This class focused on two viewpoints that helped us define morality and how to apply it in new ways of thinking and reasoning when dealing with issues in our lives: consequential reasoning and non-consequential reasoning. Through an evaluation of my collected works, I will attempt to show an improvement in the areas of analytical skill building, knowledge acquisition, and practical application that are the key objectives of this class. The objective of these three skill areas was to help us better understand how to think ethically and to understand why others think the way they do and how to come to a better understanding of a difference of opinions on various subjects. Analytical Skills Analytical skill building helps to improve your critical reading, writing and thinking skills. In unit 2 Case Study B, I evaluated a situation where an employee was upset with his employer’s treatment of its employees. In analyzing the situation, I was able to come to an understanding of how best the company should respect Mr. Lopez’s rights and moral dignity as an employee by using consequential reasoning: A company should take whatever steps necessary to...
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...Title: Medical Ethics: History and Guiding Principles Author: Alan J. McGoldrick Course: Medicine, Disease and History Instructor: Professor Foss Date: June 15, 2012 Medical ethics are the moral guidelines and ethical laws that help to prioritize a medical professional's work responsibilities. The code of medical ethics outlines the proper conduct between medical professionals and their patients, communities, and colleagues. Each country has a different code of medical ethics, though most contain the same basic principles, and all share the same history of evolution, according to the World Medical Association. Medical ethics refers to the discussion and application of moral values and responsibilities in the areas of medical practice and research. While questions of medical ethics have been debated since the beginnings of Western medicine in the fifth century B.C., medical ethics as a distinctive field came into prominence only since World War II. (Porter, 1998) This change has come about largely as a result of advances in medical technology, scientific research, and telecommunications. These developments have affected nearly every aspect of clinical practice, from the confidentiality of patient records to end-of-life issues. Moreover, the increased involvement of government in medical research as well as the allocation of health care resources brings with it an additional set of ethical questions. Emerging Medical Ethics Through the Ages Ancient Medical...
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...Ethics is the moral principle that governs an individual’s or group's behavior. Everyday nurses encounter challenging ethical dilemmas in providing care for their patients. Some of the challenging dilemmas include providing care that will prolong life but decrease quality of life, euthanasia, whether to break confidentiality to provide care for a patient, stem cell research, etc. Currently, ethical decisions in the nursing profession and health care are becoming more complex. Due to this change nurses today require advanced problem solving ability and critical thinking skills to deal with ethical issues. Patient’s lives can be greatly affected by the decisions healthcare members make pertaining to their care. Decisions involving ethics can create situations in which parties disagree with one another on the plan of care. Emotions and interpersonal relationships are factors that interfere with a nurses’ ability to make clear decision related to their patients during these difficult situations. Developing an advanced nursing problem solving skills and critical thinking skills will allow nurses to be the best patient advocate. (Hodgson, Mendenhall, & Lamson, 2013) In this paper I will discuss a situation that reveals how the different types of healthcare ethics could change the overall outcome of the situation. Importance of Ethical Theory to Nursing Utilitarianism/Consequentialism: In ethics utilitarianism is a theory that states the rightness or wrongness of a decision or...
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...Chapter 1: Ethical Theory Meta-ethical positions include: * Ethical non-cognitivism (concept that ethics is a matter of feelings) * Ethical relativism (concept that ethics is relative to a particular point of view) * Ethical objectivism (notion that ethics is objective in nature). Meta-Ethical Positions Ethical Non-cognitivism The basis of ethical non-cognitivism is that ethical disagreement can be a highly emotional affair where no amount of reasoning is likely to convince the other party. * Example: “Let’s just agree to disagree” Ethical Relativism * Ethical relativism says that while ethical statements are cognitively meaningful, they do not hold in any objective sense because they depend on our point of view. * If we accept ethical relativism, then ethical disagreement among people who do not share the same perspective becomes impossible. * It assumes that if people agree on something, then it must be true. * Ethical relativism is suspect for a pragmatic reason: it is fundamentally at variance with our social practice. * Example: “To each his own”, or the belief that what’s right for one group isn’t necessarily right for another Ethical Objectivism * Ethical objectivism holds that right and wrong are objective phenomena. * Example: “I’m right and you’re wrong” What is Ethics? * As a discipline, ethics is a branch of philosophy. * It deals with questions of right and wrong conduct, and with what we ought to do and what...
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...Social responsibility and managerial ethics You may be wondering, “Why should I care about corporate social responsibility or managerial ethics or whether or not my employees have health care benefits? Aren’t these the types of issues philosophers worry about?” To answer this question, you only need to pick up a recent newspaper or business magazine. Everything from Wall Street trading scandals to accounting frauds at AIG, Lehman Brothers, Enron, Parmalat, Satyam, WorldCom, Tyco, and Global Crossing to corporate cover-ups and massive oil spills from British Petroleum’s offshore drilling rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico seem to be in the press daily. For example, Citicorp lost billions in market value when it was revealed that a group of traders in the firm’s London office had manipulated the bond market: A small set of traders disrupted the European bond market by placing 188 sell orders simultaneously (approximately $20 billion worth of bonds) on August 2, 2004 in about 18 seconds. This drove the price of bonds, in general, down dramatically. The prices continued to drop even after the Citibank traders stopped selling. Just a few minutes later, the same traders then bought the bonds back at much cheaper prices than they had been sold. This new buying triggered buying by other traders, and prices rose. In the process, Citibank traders made about $20 million in profits in under five minutes. Although the employees did not do anything illegal, their behavior...
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...ENGINEERING ETHICS Concepts and Cases This page intentionally left blank F O U R T H ENGINEERING ETHICS Concepts and Cases g E D I T I O N CHARLES E. HARRIS Texas A&M University MICHAEL S. PRITCHARD Western Michigan University MICHAEL J. RABINS Texas A&M University Australia • Brazil • Japan • Korea • Mexico • Singapore • Spain • United Kingdom • United States Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases, Fourth Edition Charles E. Harris, Michael S. Pritchard, and Michael J. Rabins Acquisitions Editor: Worth Hawes Assistant Editor: Sarah Perkins Editorial Assistant: Daniel Vivacqua Technology Project Manager: Diane Akerman Marketing Manager: Christina Shea Marketing Assistant: Mary Anne Payumo Marketing Communications Manager: Tami Strang Project Manager, Editorial Production: Matt Ballantyne Creative Director: Rob Hugel Art Director: Cate Barr Print Buyer: Paula Vang Permissions Editor: Mardell Glinski-Schultz Production Service: Aaron Downey, Matrix Productions Inc. Copy Editor: Dan Hays Cover Designer: RHDG/Tim Heraldo Cover Image: SuperStock/Henry Beeker Compositor: International Typesetting and Composition c 2009, 2005 Wadsworth, Cengage Learning ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced, transmitted, stored, or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, scanning, digitizing, taping, Web distribution,...
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...QUESTIONS ON HAPPINESS Classical topics, modern answers, blind spots Ruut Veenhoven ¹ in : F. Strack, M Argyle, & N. Schwarz (eds) 'Subjective wellbeing, an interdisciplinary perspective', Pergamon Press, 1991, London, pp 7-26 1. INTRODUCTION Happiness is a longstanding theme in Western thought. It came under scrutiny in the following three periods: (1) Antique Greek philosophy; (2) Post-Enlightenment WestEuropean moral philosophy, Utilitarianism in particular; and (3) Current Quality-of-Life research in the rich welfare states. Printed reflections on all this contemplation now fill a hundred meters of bookshelves. This paper takes stock of the progress made on seven classical topics. Are we now any wiser? Or is Dodge (1930) right in his contention that “the theory of the happy life has remained on about the same level that the ancient Greeks left it”? This inventory will differ from the usual review articles. The focus will not be on current technical research issues, but rather on the broader questions that prompted the enquiry. Furthermore, the aim is not only to enumerate advances in understanding, but also to mark the blind spots. The following issues will be considered: 1. What is happiness? 2. Can happiness be measured? 3. Is unhappiness the rule? 4. How do people assess their happiness? 5. What conditions favour happiness? 6. Can happiness be promoted? 7. Should happiness be promoted? These scientific issues do not emerge in a social vacuum, but are rooted in broader...
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...In Conjunction with History of Ethics Instructor: Robert Cavalier Teaching Professor Robert Cavalier received his BA from New York University and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Duquesne University. In 1987 he joined the staff at Carnegie Mellon's Center for Design of Educational Computing (CDEC), where he became Executive Director in 1991. While at CDEC, he was also co-principal in the 1989 EDUCOM award winner for Best Humanities Software (published in 1996 by Routledge as A Right to Die? The Dax Cowart Case). He also coauthored the CD-ROM The Issue of Abortion in America (Rountledge, 1998) Dr. Cavalier was Director of CMU's Center for the Advancement of Applied Ethics and Political Philosophy from 2005-2007. He currently directs the Center's Digital Media Lab which houses Project PICOLA (Public Informed Citizen Online Assembly), and is also co-Director of Southwestern Pennsylvania Program for Deliberative Democracy. Co-Editor of Ethics in the History of Western Philosophy (St. Martin's/Macmillan, England, 1990), Editor of The Impact of the Internet on Our Moral Lives (SUNY, 2003) and other works in ethics as well as articles in educational computing, Dr. Cavalier is internationally recognized for his work in education and interactive multimedia. He was President of the "International Association for Computing and Philosophy" (2001 - 2004) and Chair of the APA Committee on Philosophy and Computers (2000-2003). Dr. Cavalier has given numerous addresses and...
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