*new* 28 Sept
http://mobile.salon.com/mwt/col/tenn/2011/09/27/moved_in_with_daughter/index.html
This is a letter from a grown woman who moved to help her daughter and granddaughter as their husband/father was dying. I was really moved by the advice -- so compassionate, so virtuous.
1. One of the reasons to take a course in Ethics is to give you the language and conceptual framework(s) to reason intelligently about difficult problems. Your peers are not so good at this:
The rise of moral individualism has produced a generation unable to speak intelligibly about the virtuous life. http://nyti.ms/p51UPb
2. Andrea, you were making a point at the end of class that we didn't have time to discuss. I can't remember what it was, but feel free to discuss it in Current Events.
3. Very exciting immunological research results (a possible treatment for cancer):
A closer look at what was done to cure two patients of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with a novel gene therapy — which may be useful against other cancers. http://nyti.ms/ps9o4b
4. !*!*! An op-ed in today's The Scientist (an electronic digest of science news)
http://the-scientist.com/2011/09/14/opinion-reforming-stem-cell-tourism/
check out the author. . . someone you "know"
Andrea, correct me if I am wrong but I believe the comment was what makes it ethically wrong for a researcher to pay women to donate their eggs for stem cell research? (I think...)
ReplyDeleteYes, Holly's right. There are many problems with the lead researcher paying women for their eggs. There are conflicts of interest, coercion, the morality of selling body parts, just to get started.
ReplyDeleteDo you see any connections to the Immortal Life story(s)?
Right. Specifically, it was what makes it wrong to pay women in your own lab to donate their eggs. This wasn't the issue at hand in the case study, but I thought it was worthy of its own discussion nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteMakke good choices; not like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://m.cincinnati.com/enquirertopnews/article?a=2011109210323&f=880
Or this:
ReplyDeletehttp://m.cincinnati.com/enquirertopnews/article?a=2011109210322&f=880
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/31/smokefree.college.campus/index.html?iref=obinsite
ReplyDeleteI think this is congruent with the Utilitarian idea of "greatest pleasure for the greatest number", but it infringes on free will and independent choices. Thoughts?
I used to think that people shouldn't smoke around others to prevent harm to them. But 100% no smoking policies, and therefore meaning nowhere, under any circumstances, is it okay to smoke, well, that seems pretty excessive to me. I mean, I'm no libertarian or anything, but that's just not right, and I think it is an infringement on personal choice. Limited smoking, in certain places, even at certain times perhaps, now that's valid. But completely outlawing it? Not cool.
ReplyDeleteEchoes of prohibition??
The Economist article on utilitarians
ReplyDeletehttp://www.economist.com/node/21530078
I agree with Julie & Brianna. It is one thing to educate people, another to get in their faces. I not at all in favor of smoking (not a good choice), but adults have rights of autonomy... Good article, Brianna
ReplyDeleteBack to Andrea's question about selling human eggs. This connects to several cases within the Immortal Life book. Henrietta's cells, and the other several men who were caught up in moral/legal battles over their own "material".
ReplyDeleteShould human material ever be sold? Think about blood components, including platelets and plasma; organs, including skin; reproductive materials (sperm & eggs). If you think some (all?) of these can be sold, what kind of ethical safeguards should be in place?
Next, should a researcher ever become involved in recruiting people to take part in the research? If yes, does that extend to contributing a part of oneself, such as eggs donated for the South Korean stem cell researcher?
In response to Dr. Cate's question, "Should human material ever be sold?"
ReplyDeleteI believe that is completely up to the human. Your body is, in fact, your property, so I believe that you can do with it as you please. I do not see a problem with selling your body parts, as long as this decision is made on your own with full consent, and as long as it is not harmful to you. Many ethical safeguards should be secured, however. One should be, as mentioned earlier, fully knowledgeable about the decision they are making. Selling these items, should also not be propagandized or advertised as a money making means, as this could falsely encourage individuals to do so without thinking the process through thoroughly. I believe it should be a sought-out decision made by the individual selling their materials. I do not believe it is the researcher's place to recruit people, but only to accept those who are interested and educated.
I also read the article in which young adults shared their views on morality and ethics. How disappointing. "Rejecting blind deference to authority, many of the young people have gone off to the other extreme: 'I would do what I thought made me happy or how I felt. I have no other way of knowing what to do but how I internally feel.'" So many of the young adults provided a similar answer. Virtues do not seem to be important to young adults any more. They, in fact, seemed oblivious to the basic concepts of virtues and ethics! "If it feels good, do it" tends to be the common mindset.
As an education major, this thought saddens me deeply. We need to begin teaching ethics to students at a young age and continuing these studies throughout secondary education. We don't have to push religion, but can simply open young adults' eyes to the idea of being virtuous and ethical in all aspects of life. Obviously, education in this area is lacking.
Wow. Excellent letter. It is hard to continue being virtuous when we are not appreciated, but living a virtuous life is not a promise that things will be all right and rosy. We must persevere, even when shunned. Deep down, we will feel better intrinsically from doing the right thing than from receiving extrinsic motivation and gratitude. Keep it up grandma :)
ReplyDeleteFor the discussion on selling one's body parts, eggs specifically, I just found this article in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/scientists-report-possibly-crucial-advance-in-human-embryonic-stem-cell-research/2011/09/28/gIQAUUgmNL_story.html ... sheesh, long link. Any thoughts??
ReplyDeleteAs for this argument about selling body parts, I have to agree with Karlie in her defense of autonomy and say that it is entirely up to the individual to sell his or her body parts regardless of what they might be. However, I must be wary of the morality involved when it comes to the purpose of selling or even donating those parts. I believe the question of ethics comes into play when one considers the objective of study the parts will be used for and the reason the person wants to sell his or her own body parts in the first place. For example, I would not be okay with selling my eggs or anyone selling their eggs, for that matter, for the purpose of creating embryos simply for the purpose of destroying them, as is the case of this article. I would not necessarily think it would be ethically wrong to sell one's eggs for purposes of moral worth, however.