Eugenics the Unethical Pseudoscience Essay Example for Free

Eugenics the Unethical Pseudoscience Essay Our topic was on selective human breeding, or in other words eugenics. If you don’t know what eugenics is don’t worry I’ll tell you, according to Oxford dictionaries eugenics is the science of improving a population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics. Desirable heritable characteristics for example can be things like a particular eye color, hair color, height, etc. My question to you all is if you think eugenics is ethical or not? I want to hear your answer after I give you my reasons of why I don’t believe eugenics is ethical. Now this might not sound like such a controversial topic but the history of eugenics is not exactly a bright one. Now everyone knows how WWII began, and the people responsible for it. Hitler and his henchmen victimized an entire continent, murdered millions, during his search for what he called the â€Å"Master Race. † His vision of the ideal race was white, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed, but contrary to popular belief, this idea of the â€Å"Master Race† did not originate with Hitler. The idea came from the United States and its eugenics program. The E. R.  O also known as the Eugenics Record Office was founded on 1910 in New York. A thing that not many people know is that the United States actually had one of the largest eugenic movements in the world. Eugenics was used by scientists as a way to control people, by that I mean they would use various research methods, hereditary questionnaires, and interviewing groups with special interests. The E. R. O. was able to convince the U. S. government to administer eugenic laws nationwide. This included immigration and marriage restrictions, race segregation, and forced sterilization of criminals and who was seen as undesirable. Well what is forced sterilization you ask? To simplify it for males it’s a vasectomy and for woman it’s a tubal ligation, getting your tubes tied. The U. S. was forcing people to be sterilized just because they were seen as unfit to breed, because they didn’t fall under what was seen as desirable. Now this thing eugenics they called it science, I personally see it as pseudoscience used to discriminate people, was used for decades. Oh and did you know that California had the largest eugenics movement in the country. From 1907 to the 1970’s over 60,000 people were forced sterilized in the U. S. alone, and 20,000 of those people were in California. Now who decides if a person should be forced sterilized or not, well a list was made and if a person has or falls under any of the items on that list, they are to be sterilized right away. The few things on that list are paralysis, congenital blindness, acquired deafness, sexual promiscuity, and not being physically attractive. Now I have a video I’d like to show you about eugenics and its forced sterilization.

The Effects Of War And Music Together Essay -- essays research papers

The Effects of War and Music Together How are music and war related? Music puts a voice in the people’s ears, and tells them whether or not we should be involved in that war. It helped out the troops when they were over seas to not be so home sick. Also, every war preceding the Vietnam War had music to help or support the war, but the Vietnam War is where music during wartime changed. The Vietnam War has been called "America's first rock-and-roll war" because of rock music that was played and listened to by all Americans. As the draft was raised and draft dodgers were being cracked down on, an overwhelming number of military personnel belonged to one generation: the average age of combat soldiers was 19 and 90 percent were under 23 years of age (Vietnam War Characteristics). Many of these soldiers did not want to be in Vietnam, and no one wanted to be away from his surroundings back home. Therefore, many soldiers took things that reminded them of home. Rock music was what most soldiers brought from home, along with beads and peace symbols. The beads and peace symbols were worn with the uniforms to remind the soldiers of the family at home (Abernathy interview). Between the military branches, there was no preference in what music was liked, however officers liked one thing and soldiers liked another. Most soldiers preferred hard rock or psychedelic music; 30 percent enjoyed rhythm and blues; 10 percent, country; 5 percent, classical; and 10 percent...

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Essay

Many people are affected by genetic disorders every day. Abnormalities in one’s DNA are what cause a genetic disorder. These disorders could be as little as a mutation in a single gene. In another case, they could be as severe as having an extra chromosome, or taking away a chromosome. Genetic disorders are present from birth, but they may not be visibly seen until a later age. Some mutations could be heritable, or from your parents genes. Some forms of cancer can be inherited form a parent. Although, in most cases, these mutations are new changes to the DNA. â€Å"All humans have the same basic set of genes†. This means that everyone has the probability that they could get a genetic disorder. The thing that makes us different is the genetic sequence. There are many different types of genetic disorders. A few of them are: Angleman syndrome, Hemophilia, Sickle-cell disease, Neurofibromatosis, Cri du chat, and Down syndrome. People are born with these diseases and have to face many challenges every day to live with these genetic mutations. This essay is going to specifically cover one genetic disorder called Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a genetic disorder that occurs in the nervous system. Each word in ALS briefly describes what the disorder is. Amyotrophic has two parts to it. The prefix â€Å"amyo† means muscular atrophy. Atrophy means to waste away, typically due to the degeneration of cells. The suffix â€Å"trophic† means that it is relating to feeding and nutrition. So to sum it up, amyotrophic means that the muscles have lost their nourishment. Lateral usually means the side of something. In this case, it means that the mutation is affecting the sides of the spine. The sides of the spine are where the nerves that nourish the muscles can be found. Sclerosis is the abnormal hardening of body tissue. In this case its referring to how the mutated part of the spinal cord develops hardened or scarred tissue, in place of healthy nerves. The mutation damages nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The damage caused by it, most of the time, leads to one’s death. After motor neurons die, the brain is unable to control muscle movement, and the victim becomes paralyzed. It targets the motor neurons that allow you to make voluntary movements and it effects your muscle strength. Voluntary movements are movements in which you control. These are movements that require you to think about the action in order for it to happen. For example, lifting you leg to kick a ball is a voluntary action. Involuntary actions do not require any thinking and some happen automatically, such as your heart beating, or breathing. There are many symptoms in that come along with ALS. Most of the symptoms do not occur unless people reach the age of 50. Although there have been some cases, where the symptoms occur in younger people. According to some studies, the first two muscles that are most often affected are the muscles that allow you to swallow and breathe. There can be many noticeable symptoms because your muscles get weaker. You may notice an increase in gagging, drooling, and choking. You may feel that you cannot lift your head up, because your neck muscles are weak. There are many physical tests that can be given to attempt to diagnose Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Certain physical tests could show muscle weakness in certain areas, weird walk or posture, and abnormal reflexes. There are tests that can be used to diagnose ALS. One method is taking a blood test, so that the doctors can rule out any other possible disease that it could be. Victims can also receive a spinal tap, a MRI, or even a family background check to see if there is any history of ALS in the family. There is one major problem with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Scientists and doctors have still not been able to find a permanent treatment for it. Although there is one medicine called riluzole that can slow down the symptoms, giving victims longer to live. Physical therapy and the use of braces, are non-medicinal ways of helping with the muscle weakness. There are many medications that can be used to help with specific symptoms of ALS. Since choking is common in someone with ALS, most people are hooked up to a tube and are fed through it. This is called a gastrostomy. A gastrostomy is when they make an opening in the stomach from the abdominal wall so they can put in food. This is obviously a surgical procedure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is named after Lou Gehrig, who was a famous baseball player in 1930s. The French refer to it as Maladie de Charcot because the first recording of ALS was in 1869 by a French doctor named Jean-Martin Charcot. Stephen Hawking is one of the more famous people with ALS. He has had ALS since the start of his adult life, and he has been living with it for more than 50 years. Most people die from it three to five years after the symptoms become noticeable. This is why Stephen Hawking’s case is very special. It was just after his 21 birthday when he found out something was wrong. Yet he is still living and doing the most he can with his life. For example, being one of the smartest people on earth. People that live with ALS every day. Once the symptoms start to show, and or get serious, they are unable to care for themselves. They are usually taken care of by a family member or even a close friend. In some serious cases, victims must remain at the hospital because they are unable to eat and function without medical assistance. As mentioned previously, the victims sometimes have to be fed through a tube because they are unable to chew. Living with ALS is a very hard thing to do. It’s hard for the family members, friends, doctors, and most importantly, the victim.

Oedipus the King Fate Vs Free Will Essay - 639 Words

Oedipus the King, was written by Sophocles between C.A.496-406B.C. In this play, Oedipus is a great example of Sophocles’ belief that fate will control a man’s life no matter how much free will exists. Oedipus is a man of unflagging determination and perseverance, but one who must learn through the working out of a terrible prophecy that there are forces beyond any man’s conceptualization or control. Oedipus’ actions were determined before his birth, yet Oedipus’ actions are entirely determined by the Gods who control him completely. In the beginning of this tragedy, Oedipus took many actions leading to his own downfall. He tried to escape Corinth when he learned of the prophecies that were supposed to take place in his life. Instead, he†¦show more content†¦Oedipus doesn’t realize the personal consequences his hunt for the murderer will have for him, and his loyalty to the truth is based on his ignorance. His pride, ignorance and unrelenting quest for the truth ultimately contributed to his destruction. An example is when Oedipus was told [after threatening Tiresias], that he was responsible for the murder of Laius. He became enraged and called the old oracle a liar. However, Oedipus thought he could outsmart the gods, but in fact, his every action moved him closer to the prophesy becoming a reality. Upon discovery of the truth of his birth from the herdsman, Oedipus cries, â€Å"O god all come true, all burst to light!/O light now let me look my last on you!/I stand revealed at last cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands†. (631). Oedipus knew that his fate had indeed come to pass and feels cursed by it. Oedipus was guilt, of killing his father and marrying his mother. He punishes himself for the sins he committed by gouging out his eyes. The true sin is when he attempts to raise himself to the level of the gods by trying to escape his fate. Oedipus is accepting the full burden of his acts and knows that he must be punished for his sins. Therefore, this last act of gouging out his eyes was the result of Oedipus’ free will and his tragic fate came about because every sin mustShow MoreRelatedOedipus the King: Fate vs. Free Will Essay examples591 Words   |  3 PagesSophocles’ Oedipus the King: Fate vs. Free Will In Oedipus the King, one of Sophocles’ most popular plays, Sophocles clearly depicts the Greek’s popular belief that fate will control a man’s life despite of man’s free will. Man was free to choose and was ultimately held responsible for his own actions. Throughout Oedipus the King, the concept of fate and free will plays an integral part in Oedipus destruction. Destined to marry his mother and murder his father, Oedipus was partly guidedRead MoreThe Value Of Leadership In Oedipus Rex By Sophocles1326 Words   |  6 PagesBased on evidence, Athenians valued bravery, confidence and heroic strength in their leaders. For example, the entire reason Oedipus from Oedipus Rex by Sophocles became king of Thebes is because he defeated the Sphinx that was guarding the city, saving the citizens (info from the backstory). On page 11, a senator makes the comment, â€Å"if his bosom holds a grain of fear, curses like yours he never will abide.† The reader can assume the Athenians valued bravery because the senator makes a comment againstRead MoreFate vs Free Will1663 Words   |  7 PagesOedipus The King: Fate Vs. Free Will The ancient Greek writer, Sophocles suggests that while there are factors beyond mankind’s control that we have the power to make choices that affect our destiny. In his play, Oedipus the King, Sophocles makes it quite clear that although everyone is born with a fate, you have the ability to alter its direction and toll. The main character of the play, Oedipus, is based on the way Sophocles portrays the equilibrium between fate and freewill, and shows theRead MoreWhat Does Oedipus the King Show Us About Greek Thought on Fate, Gods, and Free Will?1321 Words   |  5 PagesWhat does Oedipus the King show us about Greek thought on Fate, the gods, and free will? Oedipus is a play that explores the styles of freewill and fate throughout its totality. This is the tale of a guy and how he tries to resist his own fate and thus focuses on his defense of the future that he needs. Oedipus wished to reject his personal predestination and wanted make a life of his own choosing. The tale all started by a prediction upon Oedipus life that therw will come a day when he wouldRead MoreAn Analysis of Fate vs. Free Will in the Theban Plays1392 Words   |  6 PagesAn Analysis of Fate vs. Free Will in the Theban Plays When Teiresias asks in Antigone (line 1051), What prize outweighs the priceless worth of prudence? he strikes (as usual) to the heart of the matter in Sophocles Theban Plays. Sophocles dramatizes the struggle between fate and free will, in one sense, but in another sense the drama might be better understood as the struggle between the will of the goods (which it is prudent to follow, according to Teiresias) and mans will (which is oftenRead MoreEssay about Fate vs. Free Will (Oedipus Rex)607 Words   |  3 PagesFate vs. Free Will Sophocles creates a world that makes the reader think about the complex and mysterious battle between fate and free will in his play Oedipus The King. To the characters, fate is real and that’s what they believe in. The audience sees that Oedipus is the one making the divisions and altimetry it is himself that leads to his downfall. Apollo, the Greek god of prophecy, intellectual pursuits and pelage, told Oedipus about his tragic future. When we first encounter OedipusRead MoreOedipus Fate And Fate Essay777 Words   |  4 PagesFate as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary is ‘an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end’. Sophocles discusses fate vs free will in his plays. In the play Oedipus Rex there was a prophecy that Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, he attempts to escape his destiny by running away to Thebes where he meets his fate. In the play Antigone, that main character Antigone decides to go against Creon’s (her uncle who has inherited the throne) decree and buryRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Oedipus The King 909 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish Assignment – Oedipus The King In the story, Oedipus The King, written by Sophocles, two important aspects of Oedipus’ character that lead to his demise are his determination to find the truth of his origin, as well as his anger. These are flaws that negatively affect the tragic outcome at the end of the plot. Oedipus first shows signs of anger when he does not want to hear what Tiresias has to say about the murderer of Laius, even after the ruler begs for the truth. Oedipus yells, Enough! IRead MoreCan You Truly Ever Escape?2156 Words   |  9 PagesThe most memorable of his warnings was in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, king of Thebes that he was the land’s pollution. The prophet Tiresias spoke the truth about Oedipus—â€Å"God within reckon that out, and if you find me mistaken, say I have no skill in prophecy†Ã¢â‚¬â€denouncing the tragedy, as the angry Oedipus begins his painful search for the truth about himself. However, the prophecy is Oedipus’s ultimate demise. Oed ipus fought the limits of free will by ignoring social ques, and even disbelieving respectedRead MoreOedipus the King by Sophocles Essay example615 Words   |  3 PagesIn the story of â€Å"Oedipus the King† by Sophocles portrays theme, symbolism, and imagery. With these in mind, they had influence the character to do a few things we wouldn’t normally be doing in today’s society. By showing us the way he acts leads us to knowing the difference between what is right and wrong. Back in the day, we never knew what was shown as being truthful unless someone told you. So not realizing the importance role Oedipus plays is has a significant impact on the audience’s reactions