Humanities Ethics Research paper on Embryonic stem cell research

Humanities Ethics on Embryonic stem cell - Research Paper Example Research on the ES cells has then brought to the fore certain considerations with regard to human ethics. For the research to take place, the human embryo has to be harvested in order to investigate the phenomenon of interests. A balance cannot however be established between succeeding in helping another life using the embryo as it continues to exist. What are the ethical dilemmas involved in the embryonic stem cell researches? Despite the hot debate that surrounds the research use of embryonic stem cells, they offer better opportunity for harnessing certain therapies. Due to the controversy, most of the countries have adopted their own different rules that regulate the application of the Human Embryonic cells in research. Opinion is divided on what the value of human life is and the life of the embryo. It then exudes an ethical dilemma that complicates the application of the ES cells in solving most of the clinical problems (James, 45). The moral dilemma establishes a situation in w hich a choice has to be made from the two existing sensitive options. One, there is the duty prevent or relieve patients from chronic pains and two, the duty to respect the inherent value of human life. ... It has been however been difficult to approve one option vis-a-vis the other. The arguments then goes that it is not ethical to destroy embryo given the fact that they possess full moral status beginning from fertilization and as they progresses through maturity. Others observe that an embryo should be considered as a person despite the fact that it is still an embryo (James, 45). They espouse the retention of life of the embryo by stating that there is a continuous process involved in the life of an embryo beginning from fertilization. They note that just like an infant is considered a human being then is the embryo. The argument goes further that people would tend to dismiss the significance of an embryo as a person just because they do not have the characteristics of a human being (Holland, 43). This should not be the angle of justifications because through the process of growth, the embryo will develop the said attributes. They concur that it is arbitrary to determine the period or stage when personhood commences, hence an embryo should not be dismissed as not being a person (Holland, 43). However, another explosive counter argument has continued to make decisions on the ES cells application very difficult. It explains that an embryo lacks the justification levels of being described as a person (Holland, 43). This is because unlike humans they do not have emotional, psychological and physical properties exhibited by humans or persons. As such there is no interest at all that is demonstrated by the embryo to regard protection and should be used to help persons who are in deeper pains with their lives hanging on the balance (James, 45). Another argument indicates a â€Å"cut-off† point at 14

Mind and Consciousness Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mind and Consciousness Questions - Essay Example John Searle defines consciousness to consist of inner, qualitative, subjective states and processes of sentience or awareness. The subjectivity of consciousness is one of the issues that John Searle seeks to clarify. He argues out that consciousness is subject to some human or animal. All conscious states according to him have first person ontology and not third person ontology therefore they can only exist when experienced by some human or animal agent and it is therefore subject to the existence of a human or animal. I.e. it is dependent on the existence of an agent (human or animal) (Searle, 1980). Searle also points out that consciousness is purely a biological process in that is exclusively caused by neurobiological progressions and is realized in the brain structures. He however argues that it is different from other biological phenomena due to its qualitativeness, intentionality, subjectivity and unity traits. He likens the way the brain unites all of the variety of our differ ent stimulus inputs into a single unified conscious experience to the way the visual system binds all of the different stimulus inputs into a single unified visual percept (Searle, 1980). Searle’s arguments are sensible in that they show sense on the connection between the state of the mind and consciousness. The fact that consciousness is a biological process explains how conscious states are processed and how they come to be. The explanations give greater insight to what consciousness is. Consciousness cannot occur without the interconnections between various aspects like sight and the mind. Various biological processes involving the brain have to take place for consciousness to be in place. One does not just become aware of their surroundings or environment through sight only. Seeing has to be accompanied by conceptualization of the environment for one to make a judgment on what he/she is seeing. Consciousness is therefore not a one instance thing but a process comprised o f a number of activities and stages. I therefore support the argument that consciousness is a biological process and it is subjective. Semantic knowledge can be defined as established knowledge pertaining objects, facts and word meanings. They bear based on facts and the knowledge is shown by referencing of words. A good example is the statement, ` a snake is not a fast runner, in fact, and it cannot run at all.’ This is a representation of semantic knowledge because it points out a fact that depends on the referent of the word run. Syntactic knowledge on the other hand is basically linguistic knowledge that can be stated without a reference to the words they refer to. An example of syntactic knowledge is the statement `there are rampant cases of food insecurity and illiteracy in third world countries’ (Levy, Bayley, & Squire, 2004). This represents syntactic knowledge because it brings out the intended information or knowledge without having to use references that rel ates to expertise in grammar. The form of knowledge basically entails knowledge by description. The way I can describe a past experience I had is basically a form of knowledge. There are three major forms of knowledge namely intellectual knowledge which entails collection of facts, knowledge of states which entail human emotional feelings and the real knowledge which is basically what is considered as the reality. The content of knowledge on the other hand, is a prior knowledge on an issue one is trying to