Reflective Journal Template – Topic Reflection
There are different ethical issues that ought to be followed when dealing with both animals and humans. It’s important to note that during research the researcher should ensure that no harm befalls the participants. Human beings should be treated with care and animals too and it should be noted that no intentional harm should befall them. Some Philosophers argue that it is wrong to involve animals in such experiments for human gain because this means using them as a means to attain a goal which goes hand in hand with the views Kantianism. However, several researches using animals have led to discoveries in science that have helped save millions of lives from diseases that could have destroyed the human race. My view on this issue is that although animals should be treated with respect and where they ought to be killed, it should be fast and painless. However, it is not right to disqualify completely the use of animal experiments in medicine and especially mammals because unlike using human beings, the animals can help provide scientists with helpful resources that can go a long way in creating medical interventions. Animals can be used as guinea pigs for medical drugs and vaccines that cannot be tested on human beings because of ethical issues and moral stance of the medical community as well as the human race at large. They can also provide human beings with necessary information on anatomy and how parts work, similar parts like the brain are wired to function.
2) Reflective Journal Template – Topic Reflection
Biotechnology has brought many helpful aspects in the field of medicine. However, there are certain ethical issues that are contentious and have brought about disagreement and controversy regarding the researches being done(Lenoir, 2001). When it comes to stem cell research, the stem cells in an embryo have to be obtained, and this calls for the embryo being destroyed. Even though this research can lead to the discovery of new treatments, it brings about moral dilemmas like, importance of human life which deserves respect and the duty to stop suffering and deal with pain. Those who critic this form of research argue that an embryo is already a fertilized egg therefore making it a human. In this case, since the embryo grows to become a human its life should be respected and given the dignity it deserves. For those people who support the research, they argue based on the embryo is not a human since it has no characteristics that make it human. Those who support this form of research lean on the act of Utilitarianism where an action is considered right or moral if it brings good to the greatest number. These kinds of medical enhancements come with different moral issues, which increase as advancements continues. However, it’s important to note that these forms of advancements can actually help majority of the people and if ethics can be evaluated to support some of these advancements and this can be based on the social contract theory that supports the common good approach.
REFERENCES
Lenoir, N. (2001). The ethics of biotechnology. Journal of Biolaw and Business.
