Discussion of Silver 1

In the first part of the class, we watched some videos related to cloning. I'm not so good at English, so I feel difficult when I watch English videos... But they can be training my English ability, so I should try understand more.
In the discussion, we discussed a lot about cloning.
As is conservative thought, I think cloning has many problems and it should be banned. When I was a junior high school, I read a manga, Koukaku Kidoutai, which describes the future of Japan. In the manga, special police reveals crimes by corporations, politicians and so on. And in the most important story, a program created by government becomes conscious of himself and he seeks refuge in another country as a life. The problem is the definition of life, and the new problem is the human rights. These problems can be applied to cloning. Whether a cloned human is human or not, and whether the rights of a cloned human are the same as human or not. After human beings become able to answer these question, human beings should clone, i think.

Reaction to Silver 2

Discussion our essays no.1

In the begging of the class, Mark asked us whether human cloning was right or not. In my group, Aiko and Seika opposed the human cloning. I think so too, that human cloning is bad 'cause human rights of cloned humans are unclear. If cloned humans would not have human rights, they were no longer humans. But I think that there can be positive possibility of human cloning. It means that not just human cloning but human part cloning may be recognized good perspective. For example, organ transplant is operated, but it requires others' organs and the transplanted organs sometimes does not fit the transplanted person. If human part cloning could be done, others' organs would be no longer needed and the risk of miss match between transplanted organ and person would be reduced.
In the discussion of our essays, my group members gave me a lot of advices. And I should revise a little my outline early and I should start to write the draft... such a hard work... but I can do it!
My group members have very very interesting topic, that is, Aiko focus on the intersex problem and Seika focus on mental patient. I thought that Aiko could change her outline a little in order to make her argument clearer, and we discussed it not only in the class but also after the class. Through these activity, we may improve our essays, and we're now trying to do things so hard!

Reaction to Silver 1

Summary
1) FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO REALITY
The appearance of Dolly, "who had been cloned directly from a single cell taken from the breast tissue of an adult donor," had very big impact to the world like most people everywhere talked about it. This fact also surprised almost all scientists included Silver, who thought that such cloning was impossible. After that, an idea that "humans could now be cloned as well" occurred to the general public and many people opposed human cloning. Since people think so, science related to Dolly, such as animal genetics, embryology and so on, especially biotechnology industry, got reduced. Against this situation, many scientists argued the low possibility of human cloning. However, Silver thinks that it will become possible if the "technological barrier" is broken, and he suggests the question, "whether it could be used safely or not." Moreover, he indicates that the history shows us that people do not wait until technology is proved as safe.
2) FROM PLANTS TO TADPOLES, BUT NOT MICE
The original meaning of the word clone is that "a cell, or group of cells, from one individual organism is used to derive an entirely new organism."

Critical Reactions
1) When I read the last 3 paragraph of FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO REALITY, I was persuaded that the history showed us that new technology may not wait until the question, whether it could be used safely or not, has been resolved. Silver gives an example that ICSI as a cure for infertility was embraced "long before any consequences to the children born could be ascertained", and he, moreover, writes; "the demand for cloning from individuals and couples is sure to be stronger than the demand for ICSI." Many people tend to pursue an immediate profit so such a result occurred, but at the same time I might do such a foolish thing in another field... We should think more carefully about any topics.
2)This article was written in 1998, so 10 years has gone since 1998. I am wondering current situation about cloning technology. Of course I have heard Dolly, but I only know it as a cloned animal. As it is mentioned in the text; biotechnology industry was reduced, but does it mean that the research of cloning end? I should get information in order to solve this question.

Discussion Questions
1) Do you know a cloned animal except Dolly?
2) Whether do you think clone technology gives us benefit or not?
3) Do you wanna eat meat of cloned animals?

to the essay no.1

I'm so sorry to have been late for the class on Friday... The train was late about 30 minutes, and the bus was also late due to the rain... ! I should have left my home much earlier... :(
The deadline of the essay is gradually coming. We discussed our essays.
The interesting point of Mark's instruction of essays is that we should make "research question." I haven't been told to make it in the spring and autumn classes, but if I cannot make research question from an essay, the essay is clap 'cause its thesis is unclear. So I've been trying to make it about my topic, hospice care, but it's difficult. We can make any questions about any topic, but Research question should be arguable and making it is difficult.
But there is too little time!!!
I should,,, oh, maybe must...ha ha, do it!
I don't like ELP 'cause the amount of homework is very much!
I believe this disaster, ha ha, will improve me in a lot of aspects.

Follow Up of the Discussion in 9th December.

We discussed the article written by Shannon in 9th December. In our group, there were Taro, Aiko and Hiroko.
We started the discussion with our critical reactions. Hiroko argued that there was an unclear part in Nonmaleficence chapter, that is, the process of mental harm was vague. I naturally read it without such a caution like "if my liberty is violated, I feel harm," but I'd noticed that it's my bias after Hiroko's critique. In the chapter, Shannon refers to a risk of harm, with giving an example of driving speed, but can the risk be discussed at the same level as harm itself? Of course, in our common sense, we accept the concept of a risk of harm without doubt, but the relation between the harm and the risk of it should be clearly explained in an academic situation.
Taro indicated that the structure of the article.

Thematic Ethical Issues introduced by Shannon

Summary
1) Ethical Theories
Theories are like the rules of our decision making. When we evaluate something, we tend to select things in a particular order. Here are the 4 typical theories.
1-a) Consequentialism
Consequentialism is the theory that whether our behavior is good or bad is judged only by its result and a consequentialist acts as the result becomes good. The theory reveals one's decision and effect clearly, but the standard of which decision is good or bad depends on each case because of the change of one's feelings.
1-b) Deontologism
Deontologism emphasizes our moral duty. It is easier to recognize what to do than other theories because our duty has already decided, for example by a law, but duties not always bring us good consequences.
1-c) Rights Ethics
Rights ethics clearly reveals the rights involved in a ethical problem and these priority, but it cannot be a means to resolve conflicts if the first priority is different between each individual.
1-d) Intuitionism
Intuitionism is the theory that what we should do is what we want to do. The theory encourage us decision, but the decision is not reasonable to others.

2) Ethical Terms
Shannon introduce us the basis technical terms of bioethics.
2-a) Autonomy
Autonomy means that our behavior is decided by our own. In order to keep autonomy, we need to recognize each alternatives and to carry out one of them, which is valued by Americans. The concept needs to be understood in the context of the community because too heavy reliance on it can isolate us from the community.
2-b) Nonmaleficence
Nonmaleficence requires that we should not harm others. It is easy to recognize a physical harm, but is difficult to recognize a mental harm because the border is difficult to draw.
2-c) Beneficence
Beneficence is like the concept of "give and take." It requires us a kind of duty like we have to return benefit because we have got much by others, but it has a little problem of limit and we should think of the balance between risks and benefits.
2-d) Justice
Justice has two basic types, that is, comparative and noncomparative ones. And it has two basic principles, that is, formal and material ones.
2-e) Informed Consent
2-f) Paternalism
2-g) Rights

Critical Reactions

Discussion Questions
1) If you were a member of family whose member had a terminal disease, would you tell the truth to the patient?

2) If you were a member of family, whose patient could live if he/she were transplanted others' organ even if the organ were conveyed by other country such as Thailand illegally, would you want organ transplant?

3) Similar to No.2, how about if you were a patient? If you were a patient, would you like to live longer sacrificing other people?

The first ARW winter.

I heard that Mark was a very strict teacher, so in my mind Mark was scary...
But, in fact, Mark is very friendly and I now know he is a good teacher.
Of course I should not believe just by the first class, like Rab was acting as the strict teacher in the former class in ARW autumn.
But I wanna believe Mark is kind and a nice teacher!
I was very lazy in Autumn, but I wanna study hard in winter.
I should study, study, and study hard haha.

toda's ARW

In today's ARW, the question that the concept of race is like "philosophy" or "physics" was interesting. In my group members' opinion, the scientific analysis on race has been changing, so it's like physics. But I think that the perception of races doesn't change so easily, so in the scientific aspects, it's like physics, and in the cultural aspects, it's like philosophy. By the way, Rab said that all people who believed Judaism are Jew, but I learned in high school that the God of Judaism existed only for Jews, salvaged only Jews. So, there may not be those who are not Jew but believe Judaism. I'll research recent situation about Judaism.

about ARW on 28 Oct.

In ARW class, we discussed many subjects. For example, the several photographs printed various peoples, the theory about races by Shreeve, and whether "race" exists or not. I agreed with Rab's opinion about the judging people in the photos that we tend to judge people not just by their appearance but by their background or angle. In my opinion, the concept of "race" exists. When we hear the word "Japanese", we think vague image of our "Japanese." It's not clear, and we cannot answer the exact image if you ask us about the image of Japanese. But, we think of it. It exists in our mind. Of course, people married with other races, and the images of races become more and more vague. So, I think that it's like the ultimate image, like origins. You may ask "so, how many origins exist," but it's also vague. As Rab said, we judged people not only by their appearance, but by other many elements. So, "race" is one element of the culture, i think. Of course, culture is also vague concept. If you are asked "what's Japanese culture, what's UK's culture or what's American culture," you cannot answer completely. It's difficult to think of cultures and races...

ARW on Sep. 25

Today, Jed also came to our class, because Rab still had Mumps. Jed showed us some interesting pictures, and I was shocked about the perception of everything. Especially, the image of the letter, E really surprised me. I didn't make sense of the image, but after being told, I recognize it only as the letter, E. It was very interesting experience, and it helped me to understand the thesis of Fisher.

ARW on Sep. 21

Today, Jed came to our class instead of Rab. He gave us a paper about Barna, and we discussed some stumbling blocks in intercultural communication. Some discussion question were difficult to answer, but some people in my group went abroad in their summer vacation, and they gave good examples about intercultural communication. It was very interesting.

ARW on Sep. 18

Today, Bill came to our class, because Rab had a Mumps. He told us how to use google document effectively, and how to install FirefoxPortable. I didn't know Firefox was portable, and this system is wonderful. I carry my USB flash, and usually use my own Firefox when I go out.

today's arw

I like today's class. Thinking the background of some topics made us use our brain and it helped us in the way to develop our critical thinking. I also realized that I didn't know much information like Italian women didn't shave their body hear or workers drank every morning when they start their business in Poland. In the discussion, one of my friends said that he tried to get used to convention when he went to some countries. I think so too. We should try to know and try to follow convention at first, then, we can decide whether we accept it or not. Flexibility like that is needed in intercultural communication.

Today's tutorial

Today's class made me excited! I didn't know how useful Firefox was! I also didn't know it was very easy to search information and to make a blog. It's amazing! This experience realized me that the progress of technology made me more comfortable. I would like to know more about technology.

Yesterday's class was interesting because, through the discussion about Barna, we made ourselves understood more deeply. Questions by Rab about the evidence was also interesting. We were asked to have such a view like suspecting articles in the spring term, but we didn't do that so much. I would like to develop the skill, critical thinking, and I would like to read articles with more understanding.

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