Author Archives: XIAO YANG WANG
Research Paper Proposal
So in keeping with the theme of Technology vs Evolution my brain drifted to the world of the many machines that keep people from dying. As that thought floated in my head the last couple of days the perfect idea for a 3D object came to mind. The idea is to build a virus. More specifically a virus that is being attacked by an antibody because of the vaccines artificially created.
My notion of medicine is that it is beginning to outsmart mother nature and it is beginning to keep up with the curve balls that mother nature throws it. As the virus adapts to the vaccine the technology adapts to the virus and as this continues technology will always be one step ahead of the virus and as a result people will live to be much longer. The ramifications of fighting mother nature wont be clear as of yet, however I’m sure in due time she will tell us herself.
The Cost of Meat.
Do you like meat?
Being a man who loves meat I have a desire to know everything it. I took pride in the fact that i knew where my meat came from, how it was processed, and finally how the meat was prepared. These steps seem simple but to me each of these steps are works of art in itself. I have personal connections with each of these steps becuase of multiple hunting experiences. Experiences like these teaches you the true cost of being a carnivore.
With multiple trips around the US to hunt multiple species of animals I still remember the first trip I ever had. On that trip it became blantly obvious that being a carnivore comes at a cost. You dont realize the meat you eat comes from a live animal until you have to be the one who kills it. The animals eyes before you process it is one that strikes you to the core, an expression of hopelessness. Dont get me wrong I am not saying dont eat meat because killing animals for meat is wrong, I am saying \=be greatful for the sacrafice that the animal.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
After reading “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” i couldn’t help noticing that the reading was actually interesting. The author Rebecca Skloot was able captivate the reader using details and different perspective making it a much easier read than say a book like “Brooklyn”. What made it even more interesting was the issues that surrounded the Henrietta Lacks situation
In the case of Henrietta I believe the doctor’s abused the signed the patients consent and perform unethical procedures. First of all the doctors failed to inform the patient with any details of the procedure or the biopsy that was planned. I feel like the patient should have the right to know what is going to happen to her. I mean if it was me and i was on the surgery table i would like to know what the doctors are going to be doing to me. In addition they never mentioned to Henrietta the level of risk that comes with the procedure. Radium is very dangerous and potentially deadly and without informing her of that they just stuck it inside her and went ok we got what we wanted and our job is done. It just seemed in general that the doctor couldn’t care less about her which bothered me severely. I don’t know what do you think?
Hybrid Humans
Heart of the Matter… I think the transplant process has already begun and the incorporation of entire hearts is just an expansion of existing heart valve transplants. Modern medicine has already dictated that using pig valves are ethically correct if it can extend someone life thus why should people be allowed to use the heart of a chimpanzee to also extend someones life. So from an ethical view i think this procedure would be justified.
As controversial it may be, if this keeps developing i believe that we will be able to create human animal hybrids. If we can use the heart of a chimp whats to say we cant other organs of animals to our benefit. At the rate of scientific development i would not be surprised if in a couple of years we start implanting livers and lungs from other animals into humans.
What is Bioethics?
Bioethics, an issue that arose with the development of technology in human care. Its is the morality related to the usage of medicinal and life science technology on human beings. The guideline to determine the morality of a bio-ethical was drawn up at the General Conference of UNESCO. During this conference basic principles of bioethics were set so that people could benefit from the scientific advancements while still keeping their human rights and fundamental freedoms. The question now stands why set the basic principles in the first place. Well i believe that its not just to protect the rights of the individual however it is to set a basis for comparison for future cases related to bioethics. I almost feel like the final 4 articles were put in as a fail-safe switch in order to edit these principles. I think this was a brilliant decision because as technology changes so do this morality of the decisions, and the be able to edit these principles based on the changing technology is a brilliant move by UNESCO. However I cant help but to wonder, how much change would actually be present if the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights was never written.