In this paper I reviewed two articles and provide an analytical summary of them both. The first article summarized analytically is Predictive Probes: Scientists are Focusing on Genes Predisposing People to Illnesses --- New Methods Will Facilitate Prevention but Will Raise Ethical, Legal Questions --- Should Employers Be Told? Written by Jerry E. Bishop. In this article, I identified the three ways that the author used evidence to support assertions. I went on to identify the places where evidence was employed as well as how the author used the evidence. I discussed the evidence “as the reason” vs. “the support for the reason.” I also discussed evidence as dependent on the issue and context. Lastly for this article, I analyzed how the author signaled the usage through elements with his word choices, transitions, and logical connections. The second article summarized analytically is Dark Prophecy: New Test Tells Whom a Crippling Disease Will Hit – and When --- Gene Responsible for Ataxia Has Same Flaw as Those Causing Some Cancers --- the ‘Stutter’ in the DNA by author Marilyn Chase. In this article, I identified the author’s use of the three elements: experiment, correlation, and speculation to support assertions, and analyzed how the author signals the use of these elements through language such as word choices, transitions, and logical connections.
There are three great examples of ways the author; Jerry E. Bishop; used evidence to support his assertions in the article, Predictive Probes: Scientists Are Focusing on (sic) Genes Predisposing People to Illnesses --- New Methods Will Facilitate Prevention but Will Raise Ethical, Legal Questions --- Should Employers Be Told? Bishop’s assertion that ethical and legal questions w...
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...ients now are choosing to conceive children -- only to face a prenatal testing dilemma.”
Works Cited
Bishop, J.E. (1984, September 12). Predictive probes: scientists are focusing on genes predisposing people to illnesses --- new methods will facilitate prevention but will raise ethical, legal questions --- should employers be told?. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 22, 2014, from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/397923305/142BF1EC4C524F61E66/128?accountid=34899
Chase, M. (1993, December 8) Dark prophecy: new test tells whom a crippling disease will hit – and when --- gene responsible for ataxia has same flaw as those causing some cancers --- the ‘stutter’ in the DNA. The Wall Street Journal, p. A1. Retrieved, January 22, 2014, from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/398480392/142BF2278516F21AA0D/168?accountid=34899
SUMMARY: Director of the Ethics Institute, Ronald M. Green, in his article “Building Baby from the Genes Up” discusses why he thinks that genetically modifying babies genes is more beneficial than destructive. He begins his article off by mentioning a story of a couple who wishe to genetically modify their baby so that they could make sure the baby would not develop the long family line of breast cancer. Green then notifies the reader that no matter where they stand on the matter, genetically modifying babies is going to become more and more popular. Even the National Institute of Health is beginning to invest in technology that can be used to genetically modify human genes. He then explains how genetically modifying human genes can be beneficial,
Guidelines like these need to be formed into a federal law that people can pass in one way or another so that we can be protected from the various forms of discrimination that is possible with this kind of information. The public should be aware of what could happen if this kind of information could become public knowledge, and of the opportunities that the knowledge brings. There is no doubt that the information from genetic analysis is going to help a lot of people with all sorts of problems live longer and healthier lives. The only problem is that we have to keep the information in the hands of those who need it, and out of the hands of those who would use the information to profit or discriminate.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway was asked by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to “stop testing its employees for genetic defects as part of a workplace discrimination settlement”. (Schafer, 2001) This comes as a result of over 30 employees being tested without their knowledge or consent that genetic testing was being conducted using some of their blood samples provided during their physicals. This is the first case initiated against a company and a groundbreaking one when it comes to genetic testing.
This discussion focuses on two issues: the relationship between evidence and hypotheses; and, the role of "contextual" values in inquiry. Longino contrasts contextual values with constitutive values. The latter, the "values generated from an understanding of the goals of scientific inquiry," "are the source of the rules determining what constitutes acceptable scientific practice or scientific method" (L1990, 4). That these values influence inquiry is not a problem. But the former, "personal, social, and cultural values," are thought to threaten the integrity of scientific inquiry (L1990, 4-5).
Kevles, Daniel J. and Leroy Hood. "Will the Human Genome Project Lead to Abuses In Genetic Engineering?" Taking Sides. Ed. Thomas A. Easton. Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin Publishing Group Inc., 1995. 342-357.
White, Mary. “Making Responsible Decisions: An Interpretive Ethic for Genetic Decisionmaking.” The Hastings Center Report 29.1 Jan./Feb. (1999): 14-21.
The genetic technology revolution has proved to be both a blessing and a blight. The Human Genome Project is aimed at mapping and sequencing the entire human genome. DNA chips are loaded with information about human genes. The chip reveals specific information about the individuals’ health and genetic makeup (Richmond & Germov 2009).The technology has been described as a milestone by many in that it facilitates research, screening, and treatment of genetic conditions. However, there have been fears that the technology permits a reduction in privacy when the information is disclosed. Many argue that genetic information can also be used unfairly to discriminate against or stigmatize individuals (Willis 2009).
Samantha French, Genetic Testing in the Workplace: The Employer’s Coin Toss, Duke Law & Technology Review 1-13 (2002)
Assessing the consequences of the information that the Human Genome Project may yield must be taken into consideration; the medical benefits must be weighed on a balanced scale with the ethical and moral ramifications to properly size up what we will do in the future. Residents of the Rio Grande Valley must be prepared to deal with the positive and negative aspects of this modern revolution that we call genetics.
Situations like Jacob's are now a relatively common with the advent of genetic screening. People can now look into their genetic make up to find out if they carry a deleterious gene or genetic predisposition to a disease. No longer must many people with high risk families worry about whether or not they may contract the same disease as their ancestors. Diseases and disorders such as Huntington chorea, Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Hemophilia, and some kinds of cancer such as breast, colon, thyroid, ovarian, and skin can now be identified on a particular gene and can likely predict the probability of disease onset. But with this technology comes many physiological and ethical problems. Within this paper, I will define genetic screening, look at the controversial ethical viewpoints, and give a brief overview to this situation.
Prenatal genetic testing has become one of the largest and most influencial advances in clinical genetics today. "Of the over 4000 genetic traits which have been distinguished to date, more than 300 are identifiable via prenatal genetic testing" (Morris, 1993). Every year, thousands of couples are subjecting their lives to the results of prenatal tests. For some, the information may be a sigh of relief, for others a tear of terror. The psychological effects following a prenatal test can be devastating, leaving the woman with a decision which will affect the rest of her life.
In today’s world, people are learning a great deal in the rapidly growing and developing fields of science and technology. Almost each day, an individual can see or hear about new discoveries and advances in these fields of study. One science that is rapidly progressing is genetic testing; a valuable science that promotes prevention efforts for genetically susceptible people and provides new strategies for disease management. Unnaturally, and morally wrong, genetic testing is a controversial science that manipulates human ethics. Although genetic testing has enormous advantages, the uncertainties of genetic testing will depreciate our quality of life, and thereby result in psychological burden, discrimination, and abortion.
The Human Genome Project is the largest scientific endeavor undertaken since the Manhattan Project, and, as with the Manhattan Project, the completion of the Human Genome Project has brought to surface many moral and ethical issues concerning the use of the knowledge gained from the project. Although genetic tests for certain diseases have been available for 15 years (Ridley, 1999), the completion of the Human Genome Project will certainly lead to an exponential increase in the number of genetic tests available. Therefore, before genetic testing becomes a routine part of a visit to a doctor's office, the two main questions at the heart of the controversy surrounding genetic testing must be addressed: When should genetic testing be used? And who should have access to the results of genetic tests? As I intend to show, genetic tests should only be used for treatable diseases, and individuals should have the freedom to decide who has access to their test results.
The purpose of the article I reviewed by Lykeridou, Gourounti, Deltsidou, Lautradis, and& Vaslamatzis (2009) was to examine women’s level of depression, perceived anxiety, and overall stress related to infertility while receiving fertility treatments. It w as hypothesized that the etiology of an infertility diagnoses wouldwill affect female’s psychological vulnerability. The variables that were looked at in the study were infertility diagnoses and psychological disturbances. The levels of infertility diagnoses used in the research were male factor infertility, female factor infertility, mixed, and idiopathic infertility. The various levels of psychological disturbances included depression, perceived anxiety, and overall fertility related stress.
Prenatal genetic screening in particular is a polarizing topic of discussion, more specifically, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). PGD is one of the two techniques commonly used to genetically screen embryos in vitro; it is usually done at the eight-cell stage of division. PGD is most often performed when there is the risk that one or both parents carry disease-causing mutations. It is extensively used by high-risk individuals trying to conceive babes who will be free of particular mutations. PGD can test for over 50 genetic conditions and even allows for sex selection if there are underlying gender-associated medical conditions. When the results are satisfactory, the selected embryo is implanted into the mother’s uterus. While a controversial technique, preimplantation genetic diagnosis is one example of some of the good genetic testing can do, more benefits will be furthe...