ARW Winter (B)

Essay's thesis-rewrite

2006-02-06T23:04:00.000+09:00

I rewrited thesis of the essay. Everyone's thesis became effective for me to think about it!
topic: The future of water quality
thesis: This essay will argue about the transition of water quality and human's aim to the future.

If you have any good idea, please tell me!!

ESSAY TOPIC -revised edition

2006-02-06T18:22:00.000+09:00

Hi! I've re-written my essay topic & thesis statement like the following, based on your comments given today -thank you:

Topic: Environmental problems

Thesis statement: This essay will strongly argue that the environmental problems should be tried to solve with much more information on them unlike the situations today, through thinking about Gender Identity Disorder may be caused by Environmental Hormones.

Is it effective? Isn't it vague? (I'm afraid of it... )
Could you make your comments, please?

essay tiopic and thesis

2006-02-06T11:40:00.000+09:00

hi! im sorry to post this late!

topic: Globalization of culture

Thesis Statement: This essay will argue that over globalization should be avoided because the demerits outwegh the merits.

Essay Topic!!

2006-02-03T02:09:00.000+09:00

Hi! My essay topic will be focused on education----Death Education.
Death Education means by thinking about a individual death or think about death, people will think about how to live as human.

But I couldn't find the book about this topic very well...
If you have any info, please let me know~!!

Discussion Q

2006-02-03T01:44:00.000+09:00

I have a Q~ p308 L32.33
"Should not the fears and grievances of working people be submerged in the interest of the larger good?"

Eventually, what is author's response?? I couldn't find the answer.
Does anyone know the answer??

Discussion Question

2006-02-01T11:09:00.000+09:00

This is my question.
What is "this belief reconnaissance into nineteenth century (P302 l8)"?
I can't understand not only this meaning but who is connected with it. Adams or Emerson? Or both of them?

discussion Q for today

2006-02-01T09:59:00.001+09:00

hi!!!!
my Q is same as Hanako posted.

How change the idea of progress in 19 century?
and also, i havent understood the last paragraph of p301.....

could you explain me????

discussion question

2006-02-01T02:32:00.000+09:00

my question
p302 L 8
I can't define " this brief reconnaissance into..."

Discussion question

2006-02-01T01:30:00.000+09:00

This is my discussion question.

"We have often substituted technocratic means for humanitarian ends..."
(p.310 l.7)
What does this phrase mean? Is there any examples which shows this?

See you, next class!!

need everyone's advice!

2006-02-01T00:34:00.000+09:00

hi. this is shoko.
now im thinking about the essay topic.
i havent narrowd down the topic :(

at first i was tryin to focusing on environmental issues but
i maybe change to the `culture`.
if so, what kinda narrowed topic is good do you think...?
so far, im thinking of writing about `globalization` .

if you have any better ideas, pls let me knowwww :)

Disucussion question

2006-02-01T00:32:00.000+09:00

What does "cimplex double-edged message" of Emerson stand for? (300 l. 28)

Discussion Question 2/1

2006-01-31T22:29:00.000+09:00

My discussion question is that

P302 L8 What is "this brief reconnaissance"? I couldn't get that.

Discussion Question for Wednesday

2006-01-31T19:07:00.000+09:00

How change the idea of progress in 19 century?

This question was brought in the last group discussion and I haven't had clear answer yet.

Discussion question

2006-01-31T16:50:00.000+09:00

This is my question.
Are there any positive aspects in environmental implications of technological change?

Discussion Q!!

2006-01-31T00:08:00.000+09:00

Hi! This Q is maybe specific....but, does Jefferson's idea have connection with Christianity??

By the way, I can't still understand the structure of this article～...
Main point is maybe the changed view of progress, but I can't grasp the main points what I have to understand mainly...

Discussion Question

2006-01-30T20:31:00.000+09:00

P.302 l.2 ”Ｔｈｅ　ｆｏｒｍｅｒ　ｓｔｏｏｄ　ｆｏｒ　ｌｏｖｅ；　ｔｈｅ　ｌａｔｔｅｒ　ｆｏｒ　ｐｏｗｅｒ．”
　　　　　　Ｉｔ　ｉｓ　ｏｐｐｏｓｉｔｅ，　ｉｓｎ’ｔ　ｉｔ？

discussion question

2006-01-30T09:44:00.000+09:00

p299 l31
What is "Men of Progress"?
Is it the book's name?
I can't understand it...

Poem

2006-01-30T09:32:00.000+09:00

When I look into the future,
There are humans
There are houses
There are moneys
But there aren't any families

It is my view of the future. I think population will decrease, so people will have no choice but to live alone.

A Discussion Question

2006-01-30T08:52:00.000+09:00

The author said in his article, "The idea of progress is deeply rooted in American culture(295),"and explains it in the following pages. But I think his argumentation may be too typical.
So, the idea of progress is rooted only in American culture? How about other countries? Other European countries?

Discussion question

2006-01-30T08:37:00.000+09:00

Good morning!!

What is the difference between the experiences which Emerson extrapolate and workers' immediate experiences? (P.300 l.31-32)

A Poem

2006-01-30T03:43:00.000+09:00

Future Flits Around

Just standing on some path
Running through a barren land
Once upon a time,
We might neglect a future
Though have already sold it out

You may say some flowers
Passed away without noticed
At the last days,
We may reach a rainy noon
Can seen as the heaven here

Just want to hear your voice
Have always been around,
In every single day never returns

Even with little hope now
But to believe in one dream
Should be surely put on
Much further away here

May everybody be born to die
May nobody do you harm

For…
Eyes can see something
With no waver at all
Arms can hold somebody
Still with love tightly

Poem:Hatsumi,Hidekazu,Manabu,Saho

2006-01-30T03:17:00.000+09:00

This is our poem.

When we look into the future,
There is appetizer
There is main dish
There is dessert
But there aren't any humans to eat them.

I hope that people can live in harmony with both nature and high-technology in the future..

discussion question

2006-01-30T02:35:00.000+09:00

this is Taishi with feeling sleepy.

here is my discussion question.

in p310. line 17
"that there are winners and losers in the process of technological change "
i can understand the winner but, who is loser in progress change?

poem

2006-01-30T01:19:00.000+09:00

My poem is here.

When I look into the future
There is a sunny sun shine
There is huge greene
There is no crime
There is no arm
But all of these things are made by machine

discussion question

2006-01-30T00:53:00.000+09:00

this is shoko again.
this is my discussion question.
it's quite basic question.....

the article is talking about "progress in america".
and the definition is on p. 295.
it says "it consists the belief that things are getting better and better....."
is this definition different in other countries?

Poem

2006-01-30T00:50:00.000+09:00

Here is my poem.
When I look into the future
There is war trauma
There is many karma
there is dark dilemma
there is black drama
But there is no mama

poem

2006-01-29T23:32:00.000+09:00

my poem is... too poor!!!!!!
And I cannot bear to show you.
Here is my poem.↓

When I look into the future,
There are a lot of things.
Thre should be people,
who have a happy face.

There are a lot of things.
There are few people,
who have a happy face.

When I look into the future,
Where is the nature?
Where is the happy face?

Discussion Question

2006-01-29T23:17:00.000+09:00

Why Jefferson revered discovery and invention than science and technology?

poem

2006-01-29T23:05:00.000+09:00

When I look into the future
we get anything we want
such as technology
foods
industry
But
we lose human heart
aim of life
communication among family

Which are the better ones, do you think?

Discussion Question

2006-01-29T23:02:00.000+09:00

P.299 l.31 "Men of Progress"
What is the result of "men of progress"?

my questions

2006-01-29T21:45:00.000+09:00

good evening!!!
there are my discussion questions～♥

1; what are the meanigs of " the progress of the age" and "Men of progress" (299)?
2; wha t is the purpose that the author mentions about the history of the idea of progress?i think, we can understand what the author wants to say by reading only introduction and conclusion...

Discussion Q

2006-01-29T20:00:00.000+09:00

Hi! I suppose both Jefferson and Coex supported 'republic' but I still don't have confidence, so if so, I have a discussion Q below.

Both Jefferson and Coex endorsed 'republic' but what is the different way of approaching science and technology?

I think Jefferson approached since and tech from the point of balance of spiritual and material, and on the other hand, Coex approached from the point of political base, law or order. But I'm not sure. How do you think??

my poem☆

2006-01-29T12:46:00.000+09:00

good afternoon!!

how about your weekend??
ive been sick again from friday night;
please take of yourself～♡

anyway, there is my poem below,
and i want to discuss this category in 2nd essay.
what a poor poem is this!!!!

When I look into the future
For rich

People can communicate with whoever they want
People can go whenever they want
People can get whatever they want

They can pass across the border
For their enjoyment

When I look into the future
For poor

People cannot eat enough
People cannot sleep with snug shelter
People cannot get well education

They must pass across the border
For their lives

When I look into the future
For all global citizens

People dose not need borders
For their peace

No peace with borders
No borders with peace

i think the borders should be needed for all global citizens in the future.
what do you think??
if you have some comments, please drop★☆★

discussion question

2006-01-29T01:26:00.000+09:00

My question,

What is Jefferson's main point of thought?
( What is his philosophy? )

poem

2006-01-29T00:29:00.000+09:00

When I look into the future.
There are high-tech machine
There are high-rise building
There are convenient life
But there aren't forest.

I hope to protect rich nature from development.

Poems!!

2006-01-28T23:53:00.000+09:00

Hi! This is my poems.
This activity is fun, isn't it?

When I look into the future
We get quite high technology
We don't have to go outside to do shopping
to work
to study
to travel
and to communicate with people
But we lose the precious place to do face-to-face communication

I think if only efficient technology will progress, we might lose human activity, like face-to-face communication, community,,,, and we are already able to communicate without meeting directly...maybe We will be able to do anything on virtual world.. but I don't hope such a world.

When I look into the future
We get high living standard
We have a lot of money and useful technology
Our material needs are always satisfied
But our heart is always lonely

I supposed that future is wealthness in the material point here.

but as we can see even now, only material wealthness might not satisfy our whole mind. I wanted express this in poem.

Bye~!!

Discussion question

2006-01-28T13:32:00.000+09:00

Page 301, line 35
Awed by the experience, Adams reported thet he " began to feel the forty foot dynamos as a moral force, much as the early Christians felt theCross."
I cannot make sense this sentence.

My Poem

2006-01-28T13:28:00.000+09:00

When I look into the fiture

There are flowers

There are winds

There are some small animals

But there aren't any humans.

I hope people find the way to keep line between nature and human society and save beautiful nature.

discussion question

2006-01-28T09:57:00.000+09:00

my disucussion question is "why religion helped industrialization?"

Discussion Question

2006-01-27T09:28:00.000+09:00

This is my discussion question.

What is a causal nexus between progress within science and technology and the general progress of humanity? (p296. line9-10)

Discussion question

2006-01-27T07:57:00.000+09:00

Good morning! This is my discussion question

What does this sentence mean?
"his reservations about large-scale manufactuaring reflected a more general concern about the implications of progress" ( 296 line35-37)

discussion question

2006-01-27T07:42:00.000+09:00

My discussion question is

things are getting better and better and that eventually the good life will be achieved.
(p295. l26 )
do you agree with this sentence. Do we get good life in this era?

Discussion Question!!

2006-01-27T04:03:00.000+09:00

What does this phrase mean "…a lesser order of magnitude in the Jeffersonian scale of values (p.297, l.16)”?

Discussion Question

2006-01-27T03:57:00.000+09:00

hi everyone!
heres my discussion question.
Smith stresses the importance of balancing "between nature and civilization" (310). What can we do , for example, in order to practice this?

my discussion question

2006-01-27T00:49:00.000+09:00

my discussion question is below.

the recent progress is so-called the Third Industrial Revolution (Smith 307).
so, 1st Industrial Revolution was what happend in Britin in 18th Century.
and 3rd one is now happening!!! and, what is the 2nd Industrial Revolution? is it what happended in America (Smith 296)?

i hope to see you again tomorrow.
bye～☆

Discussion Question

2006-01-27T00:02:00.000+09:00

What is the pitfalls of viewing technology, do you think?
I hit on cloning technology, firstly. I can't agree with cloning system(which leads
to make children, etc..) as Silver said.

Discussion Question

2006-01-26T23:30:00.000+09:00

What dose mean this sentence?

"progress in some areas could mean backsliding in others(P 296, L 38)".

my vision of future

2006-01-26T02:04:00.000+09:00

sorry for late sending.
This is my vision of future.
In nere future, human run out of petronum,then we have to use sun light to generate electnic.
In addition, this system contribute to reduce Co2.

Yuki's future vision

2006-01-26T00:48:00.000+09:00

This is my future.
Becuase Grobal warming melt ice of the South Pole and the North Pole, sea line is going to rise. Many island is going to disappear from map.
Fighting aginst terrorism is goin to large number of make displaced persons.

Discussion puestion

2006-01-25T22:42:00.000+09:00

My discussion question is from page 297, line 35, there is the sentene "these new attitudes".

What are new attitudes? What do you think about the attitudes??

the vision of future

2006-01-25T22:32:00.000+09:00

My hope of the future is like that picture.
I think we cannot stop the development of technology,
nor back to the past.
So, the way we can expect is to develop technology, and live with nature.
Now we human being have so developed as we can even create lives ,as we studied in bioethics, why don't we continue to develop and use the technology to save the nature.
I also know that I said is not easy, but I hope.

Discussion Question

2006-01-25T18:15:00.000+09:00

What is the diffreence about the concept of progress between 18 century and 20 century?

Future

2006-01-25T14:26:00.000+09:00

Hi! I'm Haruka.
This is my view of the future.
In the future, I think that each people will be recognized and controled as an 'object' by an identity disc like this.

My image of the future (worse one, No nature)

2006-01-25T13:38:00.000+09:00

About the future

2006-01-25T12:57:00.000+09:00

My image of the future is that aliens. In some video, I heard aliens may evolve from humans. I belive it as possible thing. Anyway, in near the future, our earth will dreak more and more. If we cannot stop it, the earth of my future will be very durty and we will live in bulding which is made by high technology. If we can stop breaking of the earth, we will live with wonderful nature. This is my view of the future. I hope the latter.

future

2006-01-25T08:00:00.000+09:00

Hello, again! This is Saho.

I found the image of future. However, I don't know how to post the picture. So, I will print and bring it today's class.
In my image, in the future, the town will be full of high technology as we often see in the movie and book. My image is similar to Ayumi. I don't know whether this future is good or bad. However, It must becme more convenient than now.

See you.

Essay

2006-01-25T07:45:00.000+09:00

Good morning!! Sorry to be late..
My essay topic is euthanasia.

Euthanasia: How we should die

Introduction
Euthanasia which is strongly related to human life and death is very controversial issue because there are a lot of points to be discussed. Euthanasia has both positive and negative aspects. In addition, it is connected with communication between doctors and patients. Thus, it is very difficult to decide the morality of euthanasia. This essay will argue that we should get interested in and think more deeply about our end of life through understanding euthanasia from various views. Euthanasia is not only the problem of patients but also the problem of everyone.

Euthanasia from Various Aspects
Euthanasia is the practice of making a person who is suffering from a disease that cannot be cured die in a painless or minimally painful way. It is practiced in a merciful way, in order to remove terrible pain (Wikipedia). Euthanasia can be classified by two aspects. First, there are passive and active euthanasia. The difference of them is how to make patients die. “Passive euthanasia is allowing a patient to die when he or she could be kept alive by the appropriate medical machine” (Wennberg 259). These days medical science has advanced greatly, so it is now possible to keep terminal patients alive far beyond the time they may die naturally (American Humanist Association (AHA)). Passive euthanasia means choosing natural death, not using progress of medicine. For example, one of passive euthanasia is letting a patient die by removing a respirator. “Active euthanasia is taking direct action to end a life” (Wennberg 258). For example, giving a patient powerful drug to remove pain and make him or her die. Second aspect is whether euthanasia is based on patients’ own wills. Most of euthanasia is voluntary, but some cases can be involuntary or non-voluntary. However, each life belongs to each individual, so each individual has the right to decide how to end their lives. What is important is that euthanasia must be voluntary. Every individual has the right to die with dignity as well as every individual has the right to live with dignity (AHA).
There are several reasons why some people want to die personally. Some people tend to choose death rather than continuous pain. According to Rothman, it is more fearful for patients to linger before death and to create heavy burdens for families which have many troubles than to die (239). AHA also points out that it is natural for people to wish the peaceful death with dignity. Furthermore, Wennberg argues that euthanasia is one of the remedy for people who are suffering from incurable and terminal illness and keep having terrible pain both physically and mentally (257).

Patient’s Right
In the field of bioethics, patient’s right is important. This essay will show two rights which is related to voluntary euthanasia. First, there is the right of self-determination. As Shannon argues, it means that “the individual determines a course of action in accordance with a plan of his or her own choosing” (277). Wennberg also argues the right. According to him, the patients, not doctors or societies, should have the right to control over the dying process. Thus, whether to accelerate death or retard it depends on patients. In addition, in order that patients can make decision justly, the right to be informed is essential as prerequisite condition. Brazier and Lobjoit points out that “one can justifiably include access of patients to their records as a part of the conditions for making informed and autonomous decisions” (160).
Second, there is living will. It is not an exact right, but strongly related to the rights. It means a document stating your wishes concerning medical treatment in the case that a person becomes so ill that he or she can not make decisions about it and communicate others (AHA). Rothman argues that a growing number of persons are showing statements as living wills, requesting that their lives not be excessively prolonged under certain situations (239). Doctors and families should respect these rights. The opinion of patients themselves must be the first priority even if the consent of other people is important.

Views toward Euthanasia
Whether euthanasia is positive or negative depends on which aspects people focus on. In positive way, euthanasia can be the help from terrible pain. If people have no possibility to recover, people need not to endure the continuous pain. Wennberg also points out that terminally ill patients can decide whether to escape what is judged to be undesirable suffering and indignity or not (178).
However, in negative way, euthanasia can be a suicide or a murder. Wennberg shows the example of contradiction which Christianity argues. For Christians, mercy killing is murder which is not a moral option and prohibited by the Six Commandment (255). In addition, life is only one, so once people end lives, they can never come to life.

End of Life
Whether euthanasia is morally acceptable or not is very difficult. The cases in which a person wishes euthanasia vary from person to person. In addition, “there is no single, objectively correct answer, which has application to everyone, as to when life becomes a burden and unwanted” (Young). However, euthanasia can be moral act if people do not abuse it as just murder. Therefore, it seems to be morally possible to practice euthanasia if people think deeply and it becomes the help.
The issue which is related to end of life is not only the problem of patients who are facing death but also the problem of everyone. Everyone has to face with his or her own death someday. It is important for people to think about life and death seriously, regarding euthanasia as one of the way to die.

Conclusion
Euthanasia is not an easy issue because it is related human life and death. Thus, we should not easily state whether euthanasia is morally good or not. It depends on case and how to think about death. What is important is not to determine the morality of euthanasia, but to think about human end of life seriously through this issue. Furthermore, it may be a good opportunity to review quality of life.

Works Cited

American Humanist Association (AHA). “A Plea for Beneficient Euthanasia” 1995.

Brazier, Margaret & Lobjoit, Mary Protecting the Vulnerable. London & New York:
Routledge, 1991

“Euthanasia.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rothman, David J. Strangers at the bedside. United States of America: BasicBooks, 1991.

Shannon, Thomas A. Thematic Ethical Issues. New York: Paulist Press. 1997. (In The ELP Reader, 2005. 275-289.)

Wennberg, Robert N. Terminal Choices. United States of America: The Paternoster Press, 1989.

Young, Robert. “Voluntary Euthanasia.” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2005. <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2005/entries/euthanasia-volutary>.

See you, later!!

"doraemon"

2006-01-24T23:59:00.000+09:00

hi!!!

this is my vison of futre; "Doraemon".
i know that all of you have already known about the world of "Doraemon".

he introduces many tools such as Takekoputa, Dokodemodomo, Time Mashine etc, for Nobita, Shizuka, Jyaian, and Suneo.
these tools are brough from 22th century.
i wonder if in 22th century, these kind of tools will be being!!!!

see you tommorrow☆
have a nice dream...

visions of future

2006-01-24T22:03:00.000+09:00

hi again. this is shoko.
heres my one of the images of the future.
'the robot'.
now it is difficult to get such an expensive stuff...
but in some decades, i guess it can b available 4 more and more ppl.
it may help house works, gate keepin...there r many ways to use it.
however, it can b connected to degeneration of ppl.
it shows the "progress" in these technologies have both merits and demerits.
anywayz, i hope we can learn much from the very last topic, vision of future!!!!
ttul :)

shoko's essay for bioethics

2006-01-24T22:00:00.000+09:00

hey everyone. heres my essay for bioethics and the topic is brain death.
i hope u guys enjoy readin this :)

Brain Death is Not Death

Thesis Statement:
This essay will argue that brain death is not necessarily death because of several factors.

Ⅰ. Introduction
A. Background information
B. Thesis Statement
Ⅱ. Ambiguity of the word ‘brain death’
A. Differences among countries
1. America and Japan
2. England
B. Variety of confirmation of death
Ⅲ. Patient’s physical life
A. Vital phenomenon
1. Hair grows
2. Patient can give birth to children
B. Value of physical life
Ⅳ. Unjust affect of organ transplant
A. The principle of doctor
B. Unmeasurable value of life
C. Traditional concept of death
Ⅴ. Conclusion

Brain Death is Not Death

It is only a few decades since the word ‘bioethics’ has appeared. Bioethics, ethical analysis of problems in medicine, science and technology, covers so broad area that it requires people to practice interdisciplinary thinking toward its topics (Shannon 270)…Moreover, especially in such a controversial field, the only way to increase the possibility of being morally correct is to keep thinking through difficult dilemmas and to make hard decision (Harris 82). Brain death is one of the debatable topics in the field of bioethics. Brain death is defined as irreversible function of brain. Brain-dead patients are able to breathe by using respirator though their brains do not function. It has provoked wide range of discussions which are related to organ transplant. Actually, it is urgently significant for physicians to decide on the moment of death so as to take organ donations from ‘dead’ patients (Kolata 4). Therefore, demand for organ transplant may contain the high possibility of changing the concept o death. This essay will argue that brain death is not necessarily death because of several factors.

Criteria of brain death are so ambiguous that brain death should not be regarded as a human death. If it is supposed that the brain death is death, the ambiguity of the word ‘brain death’ makes it nearly impossible to provide the common criteria of ‘death’. First of all, numerous criteria of brain death do exist. Legal criteria of brain death are different among countries (Wikipedia). For example, Japan and America endorse the same criterion of brain death. These countries consider patients to be in the state of brain death when their whole brains stop functioning (Harris 240). However, in England, it is regarded as brain death when patient’s brain stem is damaged even if the rest part of brain still works (Harris 240). This state is called brainstem death. Thus, the criteria of brain death are varied because they do depend on country. Secondly, confirmation of brain death also has so many criteria that it is ambiguous. Before the moment when the patient is determined brain death, it must undergo some diagnosis. However, it is reported that there are more than twenty criteria of diagnosis in the world (Watabe 19). The question is how people can know which criterion is to be believed. According to Watabe, patient may remain conscious even if he is determined brain death after passing through medical confirmation (87). Therefore, it surely points out the risk of believing the confirmation of brain death without investigating which criterion is reliable. Consequently, there are so many criteria of brain death that they are ambiguous. If people regard brain death as ‘death’, the moment of death will not be common among all the people. Furthermore, it must make the borderline of death and life vague. Clearly, death is significant thing for human, therefore, it should not be left unclear. As agreed criteria for determining the moment of death needs to be required (Raid 714), brain death cannot be death.

Though brain does not work, patient’s ‘body’ is alive in truth and brain death should not be regarded as death. Firstly, it can be said that the body of patient who is determined brain death is actually alive because there are some life phenomenon. For instance, patient’s hair grows. People watching the patient may probably realize the life of the patient. There is another example. It is reported that the patient who is determined brain death gave the birth to her child (Torres 3). Thus, the patient is physically alive. Secondly, patient’s body is alive and this truth should be highly esteemed. Despite patient’s physical life, some people insist that they are still dead due to the lack of communication and attribution to the society. However, these abilities may have nothing to do with the criterion of ‘alive’. This is because existence is itself intrinsically valuable (Glover 45). Accordingly, patient may worthy enough to be treated as living human being. For example, especially in the context of Japanese religion, it is believed that people are alive as long as the body remains warm (Brannigan 157). In here, the ability of communication is not required. Consequently, the body of brain-dead patient is alive and it really means so that brain death should be separated from the concept of death. Seifert stresses that the irreparable end of the biological vital functions are the only acceptable criteria for death (175).

The idea of brain death is unjustly affected by organ transplant, therefore, brain death is not death. It is mere a justification for administering organ transplant. In the first place, if people do not refrain from connecting the idea of organ transplant and brain death, it may alter the role of doctor. Primarily, the doctor’s role is to save life. However, it can be said that organ transplant can be a medical treatment which arouses the expectation toward death (Watabe 51). This is nothing like the principle of the doctor. In the second place, it seems the life of the recipient overrides that of brain-dead patient’s. What people think is not to prolong brain-dead patients’ life but only to save the recipients’ lives. For instance, some of the mass media emphasizes the importance of saving life of recipients who are in urgent, whereas there is no reference to the brain-dead patients. Thus, it is apt to ignore the value of brain-dead patient who are expected to be a donor. Clearly, life of human is unmeasurable. For this, prioritizing one’s life, brain-dead patients’ or donors’, seems unfair. In the last place, traditional concept of death, in other words, cardiac death is not to be changed. Human have encouraged cardiac death as a traditional concept of death for quite a long time. Cardiac death stands for the cessation of all body including respiration and heartbeat (Wikipedia)… By adopting this criterion for death, people did not concern about determining the exact moment of death (Kolata 4). Nowadays, this concept is in danger of being altered by the influence of organ transplant so as to get the patient’s organ as soon as possible. It is the concept of death which is ingrained so deeply in most of people because death should be a ‘visible’ thing for all the people. For instance, dead person become pale obviously. However, it should not be an “Invisible death” (Morioka 10) such as brain death. Cardiac death has been adopted by people both culturally and socially. As a result, people must prevent the modification of death-concept from the unjust effect of organ transplant.

In conclusion, brain death is not death owing to the ambiguity of the word ‘brain death’ and patient’s existence. Today, “modern medicine and “rational” bioethics” (Morioka 10) sometimes overlook the philosophical-oriented aspect such as value of human existence. In addition, the idea of brain death can be mere a justification for promoting organ transplant. Though historically the presence of heartbeat has indicated ‘life’ (Seem and Sullivan 37), this idea is in danger of being changed. To regard brain death as death may be comparable to eliminate the possibility of human life. In this instance, brain-dead patients seem to have no “Moral rights” (Shannon 287), which are based on nature of people and their dignity. However, people are to rethink “when it is appropriate to treat someone as dead” (Harris 238) in order to estimate patient’s Moral rights. As long as there is likelihood of brain-dead patient being alive, nobody has the right to shorten his or her life. In short, by thinking over several factors which indicate ‘life’ of brain-dead patients, it can be said that brain death cannot consider as ‘death’.

Works Cited

Branigan, Michael. “On asking the right questions: Personal death vs.
brain death in Japan”. Death Studies. Apr. 1998: 157-17.

Glover, Jonathan. Causing Death and Saving Lives. England: Penguin Books, 1990.

Harris, John. The Value of Life. London: Routledge, 1992.

Kolata, Gina. “When Death Begins”. New York Times 20 Apr. 1997: 4.

Morioka, Masahiro. “Two Aspects of Brain Dead Being”. Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics. Oct. 2000: 10-11.

Seem, Debble and Sullivan, Jacqueline. “Take The CE Test”. Critical Care Nurse. Apr. 1999: 37-46

Seifert Joseph. “Is ‘brain death’ actually death?”. Monist. Apr. 1993: 175.

Shannon, Thomas A. “Introduction: What is Bioethics? and Thematic Ethical Issues”. An Introduction to Bioethics. New York: Paulist Press, 1997. (In The ELP Reader, 2005, 267-289.)

Torres, Susan. “Brain-dead woman dies after baby born”. USA Today. 4 Aug. 2005: 3.

Watabe, Yoshio. Igi Ari. Kyoto: Tensseisha, 1999.

“Brain death”. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 13 Jan. 2006.
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I hope the future will be peaceful!!

2006-01-24T16:28:00.000+09:00

This is my image of (hope for?) the future.
Now and in the Future, we actually have/will have lots of lots of problems like environmental, economic, social, ... many many ones as we discussed in the RCA class today.
These problems clearly do harm to us human beings though they originally were caused by us, also.
We, then, have to think about and take some effective actions to them, in order to make these situations better, not to make worth while little hope for it is said to be left for us.

And everything in our future begins with the collaboration all over the world, as this picture shows.

Works Cited:
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/img/about_ikea/social_environmental/purchasing_03_279x279.jpg

My image of the future

2006-01-24T12:59:00.000+09:00

This is my imge of the future.
This is the "Interplanetary Superhighway" through the solar system.
I think people will be able to travel to Space easily in the future! Moreover, parhaps people will live on the Moon or the Mars.

Answer

2006-01-23T23:58:00.000+09:00

I'm sorry for being so late. I will answer the Yuuki's question, what is the difference between the life and soul from the Islam view?
to be brief, the life= the situation having the soul the soul= what the God gives people when the God create people.
Islam thinks the God gives the soul a fetus just after 120 days and after this, a fetus become human. that is to say, the existence of the soul decide life or death. For example, Islam thinks sleeping is one of the death, because Islam thinks when people sleeping, the soul isn't in the person.
that's all.

2006-01-23T20:24:00.000+09:00

This is what I imagine as a vision of the future, though I don't think the future will be like this. Just image!
But I think in the near future, robot will be in the city as usual. umm～though I wrote differently maybe in 100 years, the image be left will be real. How do you??
I like imagine the picture left, but I don't wanna live in the city like this....I can't feel human（人間らしさ）. I can't feel nature. I hope if time will pass, there is abundant nature.

Euthanasia

2006-01-23T14:54:00.000+09:00

The Complex Problems about euthanasia: The reasons that euthanasia does not be allowed now

Introduction
There are various kinds of problems about euthanasia, because euthanasia relates with morality, religion, law and politics and so on. Euthanasia is one of the ways to die and this is discussed since the ancient times (Wennberg 255). In order to solve these complex problems, we have to make clear what euthanasia is. In addition, people need to think about legalization of euthanasia, because opinions about legalization of euthanasia are very different from person to person and country to country. We do not have answer what differences between euthanasia, suicide and murder are. This make us confused when we think about euthanasia from moral viewpoints. Thus, people should continue to discuss euthanasia seriously.

Importance of knowledge about euthanasia
Firstly, people need to make sure the meaning of words that are connected to euthanasia. For example, it is better to separate active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. According to Wennberg, active euthanasia means that taking direct action to die (258). In addition, passive euthanasia means that allowing a patient to die when he or she could be kept alive by the appropriate medical procedures (Wennberg 259). At least, passive euthanasia keeps life before coming death naturally. The end of life is more natural style than active euthanasia. The style to die is very different from active and passive euthanasia. Therefore, in order to avoid confusion when people think about euthanasia, we need to separate active and passive euthanasia. Furthermore, it is also necessary to make sure meaning of words that are connected with euthanasia, for example voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia, death with dignity, palliative care and hospice care and so on.

Differences between suicide and euthanasia
When we think about euthanasia, some people may doubt euthanasia means suicide, especially active euthanasia. In addition, is act of a doctor an assistance of suicide? These questions are often asked as right to die. If someone has the idea that euthanasia is suicide, maybe it became from active euthanasia. The act of active euthanasia is not different from suicide or murder by contract, because almost ways of active euthanasia bring death directly. A difference may be motive. However, patients’ feelings have something in common with people who commits suicide. Reasons of euthanasia are despair toward life or tired fighting against diseases. In Netherlands, 50% patients who hope euthanasia answered mental reasons and 30% people answered pain (Mistui 70). These feelings are similar to reasons of suicide that depression, emotional pain or economical hardship (Wikipedia). Even if patients choose death because of unbearable pain, the pain can be one element that brings mental reasons such as despair or tired. Thus, it is very difficult to find answer that what differences between suicide and active euthanasia, because motivation is very complex.

Furthermore, opinions about euthanasia connect with background. Christian society, for example America or Europe, has history to think that suicide is sin, because the Sixth Commandment prohibits euthanasia and suicide (Wennberg 255). On the other hand the society such as America or Europe has also the idea to have the right of privacy and self-determination which emphasize respect for the individual. There may be confusion and conflict in the country such as America or Europe. The debating point is whether we have right to decide our death like another things in the life and we can accept right to die as autonomy and right of privacy. For example, the Supreme Court sentenced the case of Quinlan in 1976 to have right to refuse life-support treatment as right of privacy (Wikipedia). Opinions are influenced by religion, belief and history easily. Therefore, people need to relationships with differences between euthanasia and suicide and opinions’ back ground.

Only a few countries legalize euthanasia but euthanasia may be going to be legalized in more country in the future. If legalizing euthanasia will become, the debating point may be that euthanasia is suicide or murder and whether we have right to die or not. There were courts about right to die. However, we cannot get answer about differences between euthanasia and suicide from the result of a court, because the judgment of euthanasia depends on justices. For example, a court in some state sentenced a patient, who is terminal symptoms, to have right to refuse treatment which make life continue, provided he or she has suffering from incurable pain and wish to die (Sexton and Brand 77). On the other hand, Menikoff quoted comments of a justice O’connor in a different case about euthanasia that there is no right to commit suicide. Also, right to assistance of suicide does not exist (337). In Japan, some doctor was convicted the accused of murder in the case that she gave mercy killing her patient by using muscle relaxants (Asahi Shinbun). Euthanasia has close relationships with suicide, assistance of suicide and murder. In a lot of country, assistance of suicide and murder is illegal. As I mentioned, euthanasia connect to a lot of area for example motive, mental problem, religion and law. Therefore, we need to consider differences between euthanasia and suicide from various viewpoints more and more, even if there is not legalization of euthanasia in your country.

Legalization of euthanasia
There are different problems that bring patients to decide to choose euthanasia and reasons that it is better not to have legalization of euthanasia. One of problems is money. There are two way if terminal patients do not choose active euthanasia. One of ways is that patients to choose active cure such as anticancer drugs, the life-prolonging device or operations and so on. For example, daily room charges exceed $5,000 in some New Jersey hospitals. An appendectomy in California has an average list charge of $ 18,000, and this cost is including about two days in the hospital (Appleby). Another way is palliative care. For example, there is a hospice. Hospices provide palliative care and medical, social, emotional, and spiritual services to the terminally diseases, as well as support for the patient's family (Hospice Information). This may give patients to live as long as they can even if they do not choose active cures. In U.S.A., the Medicare program found that there are 2,265 hospices in January 2002 (Hospice Association of America). This effort is good, but not all terminal patients can take hospice care. Though there are a lot of efforts to decrease cost, patients need to pay about $112.06 routine home care per day, and this researched in October 2002 (Hospice Association of America), and this is too expansive for some patient to pay. The reason to pay high cost is patients need some costly services such as pain medications, palliative radiations or chemotherapy and so on (Ettinger). Thus, poor environments can cause motive for patients to choose euthanasia, especially active euthanasia, because euthanasia can be the easiest way to solve problems about money and legalization of euthanasia can promote for poor patients to choose euthanasia.

In addition, I would like to argue another problem of legalization of euthanasia. In the hospital, medical staffs are too busy to take time to discuss with a patient, and one of causes is lack of staffs (Renault 9). In this case, there is highly possibility that patients tired and loneliness, and these feelings bring patients the idea of euthanasia. As I mentioned before, 30% people, who request euthanasia in Netherlands that is the country to have legalization of euthanasia, answered physical pain as reason to choose euthanasia. 50% people, who request euthanasia in Netherlands, answered mental problems like feelings that rack of human dignity as reason to choose euthanasia (Mitsui 70). Saunders, who is physician in U.K., also emphasized that there are necessity to help patients who have terminal ill keep the respect that they deserve until their death (Higgins). According these ideas, the better environment exists, the less people hope euthanasia. Thus, we should not accept legalization of euthanasia, because legalizing of euthanasia will promote people who feel like to choose euthanasia (Renault 9) and it makes dying patients will be unprotected (Higgins). In addition, I think patients try to live as long as they can if there are good environment without consciousness and good supports from someone who are reliable. Therefore, it is better not to have the legalization of euthanasia until all people have enough environments for terminal of life like everyone can get enough both physical and mental care.

Conclusion
There are many problems about euthanasia we need to discuss. It is necessary for people to know correct words around euthanasia not to be confused. Allowing right to die is very difficult problem and we can not find answer what differences between euthanasia and suicide are yet. However, legalization of euthanasia and suicide have close relationships, therefore people have to consider euthanasia and suicide from various points. In addition, before we legalize euthanasia, what we need to do is that improving environment in the end of life in order for everyone to get satisfied death with peace. In our environment, there are a lot of problems that can cause euthanasia for patients. People should not legalize euthanasia in such an environment.

Works Cited
Appleby, J. “Hospital bills spin out of control.” USA TODAY 13 April. 2004.
Ettinger, Heather. “Medicare May Restrict Good Care for Dying Patients.” Harvard Medical School: Focus. May 18, 2001. Date of access: 21/12/05. < http://fous.hims.harvard.edu/2001/may18_2001/health_care_policy1_html >
“Hospice Facts & Statistics.” Hospice Association of America. November, 2002. Date of access: 10/01/06. < http://www.nahc.org/Cunsumer/hpcstats.html >
Mienikoff, J. Law and Bioethics; An Introduction. Washington, D. C.: Georgetown University Press, 2001.
Mistui, M. Anrakushi no dekiru kuni [Country people can choose euthanasia]. Tokyo: Shintyo shinsyo, 2003.
Renault, M. The Palliative Care [Soins Palliatifs: Questions Pour La Psychanalyse]. Trans. Paris: Editions L’Harmattan, 2002.
“Satsugai nintei Ishi ni yuzai” [A conviction for murder]. Asahi Shinbun. 25 March. 2005.
Sexton and Brandt. How Free Are We? : What the constitution says we can and cannot do. New York: M. Evans and Company, Inc, 1986.
Wennberg, Robert N. “Euthanasia: An Introduction”. Terminal Choices: Euthanasia, Suicide, and The Right to Die. Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (In The ELP Reader, 2005. 253-265.)
“What is hospice care?” Hospice Information. Date of access: 14/01/06. < http://www.hospiceinformation.info./whatishospice.asp >
Wikipedia. “Philosophical views of suicide”. Date of access: 08/01/05.

treatment refusal -The merit of treatment refusal-

2006-01-23T01:04:00.000+09:00

Today human have very developed medicine, now that we can cure daisies which was thought incurable in the past. Owing to these technologies, we can live longer than past times and we can get high level medical care at the hospital. However, we have another medical problem, like euthanasia, suicide, death with dignity and treatment refusal. Sometime, people don’t require dying with a lot of medical equipment, like artificial respiration or equipments which maintain patients’ life. People hope to accept death with dignity. Through this essay, the writer wants to show the option of treatment refusal and want to show the possibility of treatment refusal.

There are a few kind of treatment refusal in today’s world. First, if a patient is in terminal, and there is no hope to recover and become better condition, to letting natural death as human, the doctor does not do or stop any special treatment which purpose to recover. Needless to say, patient expresses his idea to refuse treatment which extends his limited life. Second, if patient believes some kind of special god or belong to religion which prohibit to medical treatment. Boumil said that this treatment includes blood transfusion of women such as Jehovah’s witnesses, who are religiously opposed to accepting blood products. They might include life support mechanism of women who would otherwise refuse such treatment (59).
These two examples have a lot of problem, the problem of former example is Fletcher points out that if turning off the respirator is an act under the law, then it is unequivocally forbidden: it is on par with injecting air into the patient’s veins. If, on the other hand, it is classified as an ‘omission,’ the analysis proceeds more flexibly. Whether it would be forbidden as an omission would depend on the demands imposed by the relationship between doctor and patient (76). When doctor stop treating or withholding treating then doctor do something to patient which cause patient death. However, on contrast, patients has right to refuse treatments. Veatch mentioned that there seems to be a clear consensus that the competent adult has the right to refuse treatment on apparently foolish or misguided grounds, even when the treatment may be as common and clearly life-saving as a blood transfusion (121). Furthermore Benjamin put it that every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body; and a surgeon who perfumes an operation without his patient’s consent commits an assault, for which e is liable in damage (93). It is a patient who is entitled to decide whether or not to accept treatment.
The problem of latter example is whether a fetus has right to treatment refusal or not. If women are pregnancy and she make car accident. When she carried into the hospital, doctor decides to take operation with blood transfusions. To save mother and fetus life operation is needed, but mother refuses it with religious. The doctor can confirm mothers will which she reject treatment, but who confirm fetus’ will? Does mother also have fetus’ right to reject treatment?

Needless to say, doctor should save patients life and human has right to believe whatever he want. However, is there any merit of treating terminal patient? Actually, his life will be extended by the treatment, but if there is no hope and possibility to become better and patient and his family hope treatment refusal and hope to natural death, then the doctor should withhold treatment and lead to death with less pain and agony. Patients has right to refuse life extend treatment is supported by law. Wennberg, mentioned that the patients may intend his or her own death by rejecting life-extending treatment, but by complying with the patient’s request the physician does not thereby intend the patient’s death the physician intends only honor the patient’s right to decide. Full responsibility for what happen lies with the right holder, who in this instance is patient (118). This author think there are right to treatment refusal in these examples, but when we are in the example of last one, then there are no right for mother to reject treatment, in many countries, they consider fetus to be a person, particularly after viability (Boumil 70). Criminal law protects the unborn child from harm and Japanese law admits inheritance to unborn child, these things are clearly the view point from fetus is a person and he has a human right. Actually, mother has responsibility of unborn child’s life in many areas, but there is no allowance which mother can control fetus life.

In the past, human thinks how to live, because there are many diseases and it is difficult to live longer and healthy. However, in this era, we have advanced medicine and it is not so difficult to live longer and healthy. The view point is changing from live to die. These days, there are motion human should die with dignity. This thinking is, in simply, human should die as close as natural death. From this notion, then treatment refusal is a best way to accept natural death. In Japan, we are facing with high aging, near future we are in aging society, needless to say there are a lot of elderly people and the way of death is also increase, to prepare these future human should think carefully how to die.

Works Cited

Robert N .Wennberg “Passive Euthanasia and the Refusal of Life-Extending Treatment”
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Mich. USA (In Terminal Choice: Euthanasia, Suicide, and The Right to Die, 1989)

Fletcher “ Prolong Life: Some Legal Considerations,”A.B.Dowing (Los Angeles: Nash Publishing, 1969) (In Euthanasia and the Right to Deah,2005.41-54)

Veatch, Death, Dying, and the Biological Revolution (New Haven, cnn.: Yale University Press, 1976)

Schloendoff v. Society of New York Hospital, (211 N.Y.125,105 N.E.92 1914)

Boumil, Marcia Mobilia “When Pregnant Women Refuse Treatment” Libraly of Congress Cataloging in Publication USA (In Law, Ethics and Reproductive Choice)

Bioethics Essay about "Euthanasia"

2006-01-23T00:31:00.000+09:00

Good night! This is Hatsumi. This is my essay about "Euthanasia."

Euthanasia is very debatable and serious topic because it has tremendous problems and the opinion is different from person to person, and position to position. This essay will argue that euthanasia should be allowed because life is a person's, and each people have a right to decide how to live or die in the end of life. In addition, euthanasia is related to the patient’s right to be informed about their illness or the way of cure and to choose afterlife such as having cure or refusing treatment, even live or die.

Euthanasia is the practice of killing without pain a person who is suffering from a disease that cannot be cured. In generally, euthanasia is divided into active and passive. Active euthanasia is taking direct action to end a life for reason of mercy (Wennberg 7-8). In active euthanasia, for example, if a patient is suffering from terminal and painful illness, doctor takes the patient’s life by drug to end a painful dying. Passive euthanasia is allowing a patient to die when he or she could be kept alive by the medical procedures (8). In passive euthanasia, for example, if a patient who becomes a terminal illness and the possibility of recovering is almost nothing wants to die naturally and calmly at home, people allow the patient to refuse medical care. In addition, whether active or passive, euthanasia can be voluntary, in voluntary, and non voluntary. For this, there are many kinds of euthanasia, and people confuse which euthanasia is good or bad.

There are also many reasons why patients desire euthanasia. First example is the case of patient is suffering from unbearable pain in body or mind. In such a case, patient wants euthanasia to escape from the pain. If patient is suffering from terminal illness and the possibility of recovering is almost nothing, the desire for euthanasia is perhaps more strong. Second example is the case of patient worry about his families by curing him. In such a case, patient’s worry is as Rothman asserts, “more than fear of death itself, it is the fear of lingering before death and of creating heavy burdens for families” (239). If the patient’s family is poor and the cure costs a lot, family will have a difficult in money, so patient perhaps refuse treatment. These examples are only a fraction. Each patient has each reason for desiring euthanasia.

In euthanasia, patient’s right to know about their illness is very important. To protect the right, there are ‘informed consent’ that doctor explains about illness and the way of cure to patient. The reason why informed consent is important is that it is based on patient's determination of his after life, so informed must be done in right way to understand and make autonomic decision. However, informed consent can be unreasonable when it is done in wrong way. For example, when doctor explain about the illness and the way of cure to patient, if doctor uses slang, it is difficult for patient to understand. For this, as Margaret & Mary asserts, “Informed must be informed in a way that one can understand” (156). Informed consent must be done in right way.

There is another important right of patient in euthanasia, and it is ‘autonomy’. Autonomy is defined as “the capacity to think, decide, and act (on the basis of such thought and decision) freely and independently” (Margaret &Mary 102). In this case of medical care, autonomy means to choose after life such as having or refusing treatment. The reason why autonomy is important is that if euthanasia is acted against patient’s will, it is not euthanasia but only murder. For example, if patient wants to have treatment and doctor rejects it or kills him by drug, the doctor not only does not fulfill an obligation, but also kills the patient. For this, autonomy is very important in euthanasia. However, if the patient is unconsciousness, anyone can’t hear the patient’s will. Most of that case, the patient’s family determines whether having treatment or not, even live or die. It can’t be helped, but it is non voluntary euthanasia because they don’t hear the patient’s will. To avoid such a case, there is ‘Living Will’ which is “an instrument that indicates its maker’s preference not to be started or maintained on a course of extraordinary treatment (sometimes specific modalities are designated) in the event of accidental or debilitating illness” (George 298). Therefore, if patient have written the Living Will before accidental illness, he can choose afterlife by himself.

In Japan, euthanasia has not been allowed, but euthanasia should be allowed because as Wennberg asserts, “life is patient’s, not society’s, so the patient should be given control over the dying process, should decide whether to accelerate it or retard it” (179). Knowing about own illness and choosing having or refusing cure, even having euthanasia or not are very important rights of patients. Shannon points out that Several Committees and advisory boards and so on all devoted to various problems in bioethics (269), like this, euthanasia has a lot of problems in many kinds of aspects such as morality, so people should continue to debate and consider carefully about it, and also it is needed patients to perform euthanasia after serious consider. In addition, it is important for everyone to think about the end of life because people don’t know what will happen in the future.

Works Cited

Margaret Brazier& Mary Lobjoit.. Protecting The Volunerable London& NewYork: Routledge, 1991

Robert N, Wennbarg. Terminsl Choices. U.S.A.: The Paternoster Press, 1989

David J, Rothman. Strangers at the Bedside. U.S.A.: Basic Books, 1991

George P. Smith, Ⅱ. BIOETHICS and the LAW. U.S.A.: University Press of America, 1993

Shannon, Tomas A. “Introduction: What is Bioethics? And Thematic Ethical Issues” An Introduction to Bioethics. New York: Paulist Press, 1997 (In The ELP Reader, 2005, 267-273)

Essay -“A Possible Advanced Approach to Abortion”

2006-01-22T21:01:00.000+09:00

Good evening!
Many AE mates have caught a cold... Are you OK?
Anyway, this is my essay, “A Possible Advanced Approach to Abortion.”

These days, because of the development of the academic literacy and professional applications of the life sciences (Encyclopedia of ethics 24), the issues on bioethics are the remarkable object of many people’s attention. And in this essay, about abortion, one of the most fascination dimensions of it, the writer will offer one possible advanced approach to it which is about the aspect of responsibility. At first, the term “abortion” is determined as “the deliberate ending of a pregnancy at an early stage,” “a medical operation to end a pregnancy at an early stage” (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary), or “The spontaneous expulsion of an embryo or fetus during pregnancy (a miscarriage), or the deliberate termination of the life of an embryo or fetus” (Encyclopedia of ethics 1).
It may be difficult to think about and have one certain idea about abortion, because it includes so many kinds of aspects within it. Indeed, many people think that the moral problem of it depends on other factors and beliefs, for instance, they think abortion is justified in the situation of a rape-caused pregnancy (Encyclopedia of ethics 2). And the problem about people involved with an abortion is that when discussing only “pregnancy and giving birth,” the following people cannot join the discussion: a woman who do not or cannot give birth, an elder woman, and a man(岩男寿美子,　加藤千恵52 ). Furthermore, about the gender aspect, some feminists argue in terms of gender equality “If men could become pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament” (Eriksson 303).
Nevertheless it can be said to be very important to find some possible approach to the abortion, even it is provisional or not rigid because it is surely helpful to think about it seriously. Actually today one approach is so common to deal with it; the one about rights. That is, the advocates of this idea argue that the most legitimate way to think about abortion is to decide which rights should be given the priority; the pregnant women’s or the embryos’ ones. About this problem, there are two positions called “pro-choice” and “pro-life” (Encyclopedia of ethics 1). First the “pro-choice” proponents argue that pregnant women have the rights not to give birth and that abortion is morally allowed (Encyclopedia of ethics 1). And Susan Faludi, famous feminist in America, said “All of woman’s aspirations-Whether for education, work, or any form of self- determination- ultimately rest on their ability to decide whether and when to bear children”(BBC website).
Second, the “pro-life” proponents insist that embryos have the rights to life and that abortion is morally wrong (Encyclopedia of ethics 1). And they also argue that it cannot be morally justified in terms of its medical killing the innocent person based on the mother’s desire not to be pregnancy any more. Indeed, most of the Christians cannot be in favor of the right to choose to end the life of an embryo (Rae 170), because embryos are actually persons with the corresponding right to live (Rae 170-171), and human life begins when the woman's egg is fertilized by a male sperm (BBC website), deserves legal protection from that movements on, and abortion is the intentional murder of a human (Encyclopedia of ethics 236). For example on December 24, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI said that “something of the splendor” of Christmas “shines on every child, even on those still unborn.” Reading his homily slowly, Benedict stressed the word “every” in his reference to children on a Christmas prayer for peace in the Holy Land as he led his first Midnight Mass in the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica (abc7news website).
These two positions can be said to be morally reasonable because they depend mainly on beliefs which are just virtual. However the problem about the abortion has not yet settled by the approach about the prior rights. Next, new and advanced approach appears; the one about responsibilities. That is, a method of deciding whether abortion is permissible or not based on the degree of a pregnant women’s responsibility. And in order to think about it, two ideas are needed; “active abortion” and “passive abortion,” corresponding to Active and Passive euthanasia by Wennberg. According to him, active euthanasia is the intentional operation to end the patients’ lives. Passive euthanasia is the let the patients die with dignity. About both of them, the patients want to die, but the former means a death with some remedy, and the latter without any (Wennberg 258-259).
“Active Abortion” can be defined as a kind of self-determination; if the pregnant women can afford to give birth and raise the child of her own free will with taking the responsibility for it perfectly and no obstacles to do so, and still strongly want to end a pregnancy through an abortion (Menikoff 128), that abortion could be allowed as one with dignity. On the other hand, “Passive Abortion” can be defined as the following; if a woman cannot afford to bring the child up economically or for some other reasons, for example, they may actively desire to have a child though her other interests might harm her embryo (Menikoff 128), or might make herself die, then, that abortion could be permitted as the last and only choice of mothers not to blame for it.
The idea of “active and passive abortion” can deal with the abortion from brand-new point of view that is responsibility for it of pregnant women themselves, with respecting both mothers’ and unborn children’ rights.
The concept of responsibility for the abortion may still not settle the problem, but it clearly shows the new, possible, and advanced approach to it. So in conclusion, through finding new possible concepts such as “active and passive abortion”, the problem of abortion should be kept thinking on from as many methods as possible.

Works Cited
Eriksson, Maja Kirilova. Reproductive freedom: in the context of international human rights and humanitarian law/ by Maja Kirilova Eriksson. The Hague; Boston; M. Nijihoff, c2000. , 303
Menikoff, Jerry. Law and bioethics: an introduction/ Jerry Menikoff. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, c2001., 128 and 130
Rae, Scott B.Bioethics: a Christian approach in a pluralistic age/ Scott B. Rae, Paul M. Cox. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B.Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1999., 170-171
Wennberg, Robert N. “Euthanasia: An Iitroduction.”Terminal Chices. In Euthanasia, Suicide, and The right to Die. Reprinted with permission of William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989. (In ELP Reader, 2005. 253-265),258-259
Encyclopedia of ethics/ Susan Neiburg Terkel, consulting editor; R.Shannon Duval, editor. New York: Facts On File, 1999.,1, 2, 24, and 236
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary © Oxford University Press 2000.
Women’s realities, women’s choices: an introduction to women’s studies/ Hunter College Women’s Studies Collective. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983.,461
岩男寿美子,　加藤千恵　編『女性学キーワード』東京：有斐閣、1997.12,52 and 98
Reardon, David C., Ph., Elliot Institute. Psychological reactions reported after abortion. January10,2006<http://www.abortionfacts.com/reardon/after_abortion_psychological_rea.asp>
Benedict XVI Leads Christmas Eve Mass Prays For Peace In Holy Land. January10, 2006<http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=nation_world&id=3756596>
“Health risks.” Abortion. January10, 2006
“When is a foetus alive?”http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/abortion/embry_viable1.shtml>
“Women’s rights.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/abortion/femsm_intro.shtml>

Essay "Organ Transplants"

2006-01-22T16:22:00.000+09:00

Hi! Mayuko~either do I!
I got sick since yesterday night, as it called infection of noro-virus~!
No way~. But I don't lose to such a virus~!!!

Organ Transplant: There are still Critical Problems

The word, ‘organ transplantation’ might not be unfamiliar to many of us by watching TV or reading books. Organ transplantation is replacing the living tissue in someone’s body which has lost function of a particular organ (Hempstead 563) .Whether organ transplantation should be allowed or not, is still disputable (Kouchi-newspaper society department 12). However, the law of organ transplant has already enforced in 1997, in Japan. (Taniyama 754) The technology might or should be permitted as official remedy because if a patient can be cured by having an organ transplant, it is natural to require the treatment. However, the technology has still many problems which must be considered before taking for granted organ transplantation as a part of medical treatment. This essay will argue that organ transplant can not be legalized considering from three main problems, organ transplant from brain dead patients, incompleteness of organ transplant, and abuse of organ.
Firstly, one problem of organ transplant is ‘organ transplant from brain death patients’. Organ transplantation usually requires donors who are brain dead patients (Kouchi-newspaper society department 10, 11). Brain death is the state of very vital damage to the brain that is incurable and the patient can not keep living without respirator. However, their heart is still beating and they have still body temperature (Crowther 132). Therefore, the argument whether brain death is death or not is continuing even now (Taniyama 755). One side, brain death is death, asserts that brain dead patients lose human’s daily life. They can not control their body by themselves and can’t feel and think. They only have living body tissue. Furthermore, there is no hope that brain will rework. That is the situation that we make their body live forcibly (Kouchi-newspaper society department 9). On the other hand, the position which support brain death is not death, maintains that even though brain death patients lose function of brain, the body is warm and blood circulates through round the body. In addition, there is a case that a brain death patient bore baby (Kouchi-newspapre society department 10). Both arguments might be persuasive and it is difficult to decide which is right. In reality, whether brain death is death or not, the debate has not finalized and even many doctors are confusing about the concept of brain death (Lock 256). However, the law of organ transplant has permitted brain death as death officially (Taniyama 754) and organ transplant from brain death patients has already conducted. Can we accept this state? Each of us needs to consider this topic and until that, we can not admit organ transplant from brain dead patients.
Second problem is ‘defective organ transplantation’. There are many people who wait for donors and some of them can have operation, but others’ turn does not come and die (Caplan and Coelho 216). All of us have right to live and the right should be given equally, but in this circumstance, right is treated as ‘first come, first served’ because of the lack of donors. In addition, there is another problem even though organ recipients’ turn comes. If their body do not suit received donor, they can not undergo organ transplant (Caplan and Coelho 216). Looking at ‘survival rate’ of organ transplant below (see Fig. 1), you might think that the technique is very high level. The technique of organ transplant was surely improved in wide areas, (Stinson cited in Fox and Swazey 82) but this rate includes only patients who could find available organ for the patients. Others who are not counted could not take organ transplant because they only found unavailable organs for them (Caplan and Coelho 215). Therefore, technology of organ transplant might be said that it is still defective in point of respecting human rights and the technology.

↓Actually, this is type of list, but I couldn't paste as it is...
Survival rate of heart, heart and lungs, and lung transplants in the world（over18 year-old）

Heart
Heart and Lungs
Lungs
N ＝ 43,936
N ＝ 2,350
N＝ 8,281
１ year
79.4％
61.0％
71.2％
2 years
75.3％
53.8％
62.6％
3 years
71.9％
48.9％
55.4％
5 years
65.2％
40.0％
43.3％
10 years
45.8％
25.7％
（no data）
Fig.1. TCNet editing committee. Transplant communication data April 1999.

Finally, third problem is ‘abuse of organ’. Not only the case below (see Fig. 2), but other organ sales for transplant happened or are happening. For example, in the early 1980s, a man in Georgia tried to sell a kidney for $25,000 to get fast-food restaurant (Kimbrell 30). Furthermore, in India, a majority of donors are poor laborers and they earn money for their life (Kimbrell 31). One donor who offered his kidney commented, “I am even prepared to sell one of my eyes or even a hand for a price.” (Kimbrell 31) Those two positions might be different, but the point that human organ is treated as a commodity is same. Regardless of prohibitions, tens of thousands of organs are being traded and being a world wide industry (Kimbrell 1, 31). It is difficult to argue logically that the reason why human body should not be treated as a commodity and this sense is similar to the reason why human should not kill human. The reason or idea depends on self-evident (Kimbrell 2), but in this writer’s opinion from ethical position, human life might not be priced and each organ is given as a part of a particular and sacred body. We might not separate organs from a special body and sold as a commodity. Therefore, organ transplant which causes organ harvesting or human trafficking might not be ethically supportable.

Eyes for sale or transplant.
$50,000 each----help someone you care for see and in return
you’ll be helping others.
Only sincere parties apply please...

Fig.2. Kimbrell, The Human Body Shop: the engineering and marketing of life 1995.

Though the law of organ transplant has already established, the argument whether organ transplant should be accepted or not is still continuing and we need to examine organ transplant before regarding as a usual medical treatment. In this writer’s opinion, organ transplant still can not be authorized considering from three main problems, organ transplant from brain dead patients, defective organ transplant and abuse of organ. First, prior to our sufficient considering brain death, we might not allow organ transplant from brain dead patients. Second, organ transplant as a medical treatment might be defective in point of technology and dignity of human rights. Finally, human body might be sacred and not be treated as a commodity for organ transplant. Considering these three points, organ transplant should not be authorized so far.

MAYUKO's Bioethics Essay

2006-01-22T00:17:00.000+09:00

good evening!!!
how heavy snow, isn't it??
now, ive got fever since last night.
so, everyone, please take of yourself!!!!

there is my essay below.
↓
Selective Abortion: The Right of Fetus

Introduction
According to the research by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), 11.2 percent of pregnant women in Japan have done ‘abortion’ in 2003, and this rate has been still growing (Vital Statistics 2003).There are different situations and reasons that pregnant women decide’abortion’. Masia says that it is a common idea that ‘abortion’ should not be encouraged for any woman (128), because ‘abortion’ kills ‘fetuses’. However, some people think when a pregnant woman is in a bad health or economic situation to deliver or when she has got pregnant by violation, ‘abortion’ should be performed to save her life. These cases of simple ‘abortion’may be exceptions. On the other hand, ‘selective abortion’ which is performed after the results of ‘the fetus diagnosis’ should be distinguished from simple ‘abortion’ and prohibited because it denies ‘fetuses’ own rights to live that no one can deny.

Definitions
It is necessary to define four important words to consider whether a ‘selective abortion’ should be banned or not. According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, ‘abortion’ is defined as a medical operation for pregnant women in which the fetus is not born or is alive (4). Next, ‘fetus’, as equal to embryo, means an animal or a human that has not yet been born, and has been in a developing stage (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 598). In addition, ‘the fetus, genetic or prebirth diagnosis ‘is “to tell the sex of the fetus and later still diagnose many things about chromosomal and gene-caused disorders” (Rosenblith 81). Moreover, a ‘selective abortion’ is linked to the fetus diagnosis, and it is one of the few ways of abortion performed after the fetus diagnosis. Some examples of selective abortion are if it is clarified that the fetus has a genetic disorder, the fetus is unwanted sex or the fetuses are twins.

Three approaches toward selective abortion
Selective abortion should be banned because it denies the right of fetus to live. To consider this idea, it is required to think about three approaches: the fetus diagnosis and three responsibilities to choose a selective abortion, and the right of fetus.

The fetus diagnosis
One approach is the fetus diagnosis. It is a problem to decide abortion by the result of diagnosis because it is an arbitrariness of pregnant mothers.
The prebirth diagnosis is not just a wrong technique. It can show pregnant mothers whether the fetus is twin or a single, a boy or a girl, or disabled or not to prepare for their new baby.
According to Rosenblith, the fetus diagnosis can be divided into several categories as the growing of the fetus, and the main diagnosis is to examine amniotic fluid that protects a fetus (82).This examination is called ‘amniocentesis’ (Rosenblith 82). Amniocentesis is “the Janus” (Shipman 188); one face is positive for physicians and the other is negative for pregnant women. The positive aspect is that the existence of amniocentesis thanks to the improvement of technology. Some physicians say that if technology had not been improved, some disorders of fetuses would have not been discovered and pregnant mothers would have had a shock (Masia 133). However, because of this technological improvement, the possibility of selective abortions (recognized disordered fetuses being killed before they are born) have been rising (Dixion-Mueller 42), and it tends to exclude disabled people from society, a theory of eugenics. This is the negative aspect of the other.

Three responsibilities for decision of selective abortion
Another approach is the responsibility to choose a selective abortion, as to think who has the responsibility towards selective abortion is required.
There is one story related to the responsibility from Masia’s book. Once, a forty-year pregnant mother who had decided to become a single mother did amniocentesis and it was clarified that she had twins as one fetus had Down’s syndrome fetus. After objecting the result of the diagnosis to her, the physician suggested to do an operation to kill the disordered fetus by sticking a thin needle into this fetus’s heart. This operation was difficult and needed sophisticated operation techniques. Finally, this twin’s mother chose the selective abortion under the physician’s suggestion, because she judged that she could not bring the disordered baby up by herself because of her high age (131).
This sad story, quotation from Mainichi News Paper, was happened in Japan about twenty-five years ago, and the three different responsibilities towards selective abortion can be listed up in it.
The first responsibility is at a minimum and an individual level: a pregnant mother. She denied Down’s syndrome fetus’s right to live. It might have been a tough choice for her to choose selective abortion however, it is the unshakable fact that she took the fetus’ hopeful life by her situation.
Another responsibility belongs to the physician. Some physicians, like in the article, do an operation of selective abortion because it shows his or her excellent techniques to others (Masia 131). However, physicians should always try to make people live without any reason. Therefore, the suggestion done by physician in the article was morally wrong. He or she should not have recommended such a negative way to kill the fetus.
The other responsibility is held by society around the pregnant mother and the physician. The pregnant mother chose selective abortion because it was hard to bring both ordered and disordered babies up by herself. However, if welfare and facilities or institutions supporting disorders had been more plentiful, her decision would have been different and she would have brought the fetuses birth, supported by society (Masia 133).
In conclusion, there are three suggestions for each responsibility. Firstly, pregnant mothers should know that it is only the mother who can protect the fetus to live. Secondly, physicians should notice that their mission is basically to care one’s life from birth to death and not to kill. Finally, for a society, the responsibility is that the government should be rich in welfare to ease lives for everyone, especially for disorders and their families.

The right of a fetus
Furthermore, it should not be forgot that each fetus has the right to live as same as adults have (Dwyer 2). Some feminists often assert that it is the women’s right to control fetuses’ births and it depends on each woman because a fetus grows in a mother’s body (Dixion-Muller, 33). However, these ideas are mistaking the meaning of a fetus. According to Masia, feminists’ ideas are denying the right of each fetus and they tend to regard the fetus as one part of the pregnant mother (129). All of the people from young to old, fetuses to the dying person, have a right to live without any condition. Pregnant mothers are needed to protect them and to make fetuses live since fetuses are weak. This is the duty of pregnant mothers. Therefore selective abortion should not be performed because it takes the fetus’s life and the right to live before born.

Two improvements to interrupt selective abortion
Moreover, there are two improvements to interrupt selective abortion. One is for a culture and society and the other is for education at school included in a society.

For culture and society
Culture and society have always influenced each other in every situation, because, in this writer’s opinion, culture is made, shared and learned a system of behavior by a large group, especially society or a religion. One recognition for disordered people in Japan is occurred. According to Masia, a Japanese pregnant mother, who decided selective abortion because one of her fetus had been found as disordered, said that it might be not a good experience for the ordered baby to grow up with the disordered baby (134, cited in Mainichi News Paper 1981). She thought that it was not benefit for the ordered baby to live with the disordered baby. For culture, to improve such present condition towards disorders is required. In general, in each culture or society, disorders are regarded as a symbol of disadvantage or sometimes sin. There is another example. In the Nazis, a great number of disorders were in concentration camps during the World War Ⅱ, because their genetic-caused disease were sin to make pure Germanic blood dirty accordingly eugenics (Shipman 190-200). However, in this writer’s point of view, if each person does not regard disorders as disadvantaged social status and throws away the prejudice for disorders, culture and society will become to change.

For sex education at school
The other improvement ought to be done for education at school, especially at junior high school and high school. To reduce the rate of selective abortion, it is effective to tell young and sensitive students about the importance of one life of fetus, and mental pain of abortion. Selective abortion denies the right of fetus, and takes fetuses’ precious lives arbitrarily (Masia 128-131). Young teenager students have not experienced to think about selective abortion deeply, or they sometimes do not know about selective abortion in Japan (MHLW Vital Statistics 2003). This may be a great problem. There is one suggestion that junior high school and high school should give more information about the fetus diagnosis and selective abortion. When students have more right knowledge about selective abortion, they will not choose this decision in the future. If it is possible, schools should invite experiencers of selective abortion and have occasions to listen their lectures. It
can be able to move students and change their consciousness towards selective abortion.

Conclusion
Selective abortion ought to be prohibited because it is a tool to kill and take fetuses’ hopeful lives.
Abortion itself can give serious mental damage for both mothers and fathers of fetuses, but especially, pregnant mothers have to get both mental and physical great damage (Dixion-Muller, 65). They may have to live with guilt for fetuses. Simple abortion sometimes is performed because of unavoidable physical situations, and pregnant mothers are always worried about their dead fetuses. On the other hand, it will change in case of selective abortion. Selective abortion based on the genetic diagnosis is performed because of the parents’ arbitrariness. However, any case of abortion is the result of mental conflict in pregnant mothers themselves (Masia 127). People should not just blame them for abortion but should think why she has to decide abortion. It is only the mothers to protect and to be able to let fetuses to live. Fetuses always rely on only their mothers. It is required for each society to make a society which does not need to decide abortion.

Works cited
Dixon-Mueller, Ruth. Population Policy and Women’s Rights: Transforming Reproductive Choice. Westport: uPraeger Publicers. 1993.
Dwyer, Susan. “Understanding the Problem of Abortion.” The Problem of Abortion. Ed. Dwyer, Susan, and Fienberg, Joel. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1997. 1-20.
Juan Masia. Baioesshikusu no Hanashi.[The Story of Bioethics]. Tokyo: Nansousya, 1988.
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. “Vital Statistics 2003.” 2005. 27 Dec. 2005
.
Rosenblith, Judy F. In the Beginning: Development from Conception to Age Two, Second Edition. Newbury Park, California: SAGE Publications, Inc. 1992.
Shipman, Pat. “Prologue Sweeping Toward a Racial Abyss” The Evolution of Racism: Human Differnces and the Use and Abuse of Science. New York, USA: Simon and Schuster. 1994. (In The ELP Reader, 2005. 179-213)
“Abortion.” Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. 2003
“Fetus.” Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. 2003

Visions of the Future

2006-01-21T16:57:00.000+09:00

This is a personal mobility vehicle that "fits like a glove" to create a feeling of unity between the driver and the vehicle proposed by TOYOTA. 'Cutting-edge vehicle-to-vehicle communications technologies are employed under the concept of "meeting, linking and hanging out together." (Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.)' I think future visions of cars are promoted from the viewpoint of environmental issues, conveniences, appearance, and low cost of gasoline. Imagining future provides us a lot of improvements.

Visions of the Future

2006-01-21T15:54:00.000+09:00

Above is my visions of future.

Bioethics Essay

2006-01-21T15:18:00.000+09:00

This is Rika. This is my Essay about “The way to prevent abortion from adolescents.”
Introduction
　　According to the research by the Monthly Vital Statistics Report, more than 1.1million U.S. adolescent women aged 15 to 19 experienced pregnancy and resulted in 419,000 abortions in 1978 (Litt 26). It is so painful reality, but there are positive ways that can reduce it. The popular media consider abortion to be only women’s concern: “There is a common belief that the only feelings that a man has about abortion are relief when he can avoid an unwanted marriage or responsibility” (Litt 280). It is so cruel to pregnant women. However, Donald says that there are many risks about abortion (48), because women’s body is delicate, so the women may not be able to give birth to a child when they determine to have a child. In addition, pregnancy in young age influences the women’s life, greatly. Abortion should be avoided as much as possible, but at the same time there are some cases that it is necessary for women. This argument is based on the statistics of U.S. women’s rate of pregnancy and the surrounding situations in the United States.

Legal rights and responsibilities of pregnant teenagers and their children
There are some legal rights that pregnant teenagers can choose an alternative whether they have a baby or not. Paula argues that teenage pregnancy poses many legal problems (3). It is because The United States Supreme Court has stated that teenagers, as well as adults, have a fundamental constitutional right of privacy which includes the right to decide to have an abortion. Abortion occurs in various situations, but the rate of teenagers is getting worse these days (Paula 4). Below are situations of relation between legal rights, responsibilities and abortion.

Medical Care
A physician can treat a minor without parental consent in an emergency, when the minor is emancipated, or when a minor is “neglected” is that her parents are not willing to consent to necessary medical care (Jaffe 9). The legal effect of emancipation is to remove the disabilities of minority. In these days, many state legislatures have enacted statutes that allow minors to consent for medical care or treatment. In addition, in many states, minors seem to consent for medical care during pregnancy and the child after birth.

Pregnancy and the adolescent process
Zelnik mentioned that pregnancy itself is a developmental process involving stages over the short course of nine months, and each pregnancy involves serious life-shaping personal decisions (84). According to the statistics of various stages of pregnancy, Zelnik also points out that pregnancy has special implications for each stage of adolescence and emotions are linked to parents and other family members as closely as to peers (84), but later stage are fraught with anxieties concerning defects, guilt and shame, isolation from peers, abandonment by the family, and the physical hazard of childbirth (85). It signifies the instability of pregnant women. In addition, some children are victims of child abuse and incest (Card 4). This result shows that the adolescent couples cannot afford to raise their children. So, there is nothing for abortion but to help young parents and children, comprehensively from this situation.

How to prevent adolescents from abortion?
According to Moore, the recent Title legislation directed toward enhancing the outcomes of adolescent pregnancies has received only minimal funding and in all probability is not renewed in1981 (45). It shows that economic problem is one of the most serious problems which lead to make a factor of abortion. It is concerned with pro-choice problem (Ryan 42). Pro-choice is a common self-description used by people who believe that a woman should have the absolute legal right to have an abortion, or that one can choose on issues relating to the life or death of themselves or any part of their body (Wikipedia). Its right to have an abortion raises discriminately controversy among infertile women and defective people, but it is also important fact that people have “Right to know” and “Informed Consent” is essential in today’s medical treatment.
Sex education for youth is also very important to prevent abortion. Baldwin argues that most parents, in fact, want sex education’s duty, and one can educate teenagers to accomplish it (53). It means sole reliance on school-based educational programs is not effective. Knowledge itself does not lead to sexual experimentation (Elster 10) , but ignorance can increase the teenager’s risk for an unwanted pregnancy. Another concept to emphasize is that interaction is a combined effort of all trained health care professionals-psychologists, social workers, physicians, and others (Elster33). These sex educational programs will play a part of significant role about abortion in the future.
Age is the essential factor to consider about abortion. According to Elster, adolescents 15 years of age or younger are twice as likely to become pregnant as those who wait until they are 18 or older people of (180). It is because 15 years of age adolescents have less attention to intercourse than 18 years people. In addition, the statistics from Elster shows that 58 percent of blacks aged 15 or younger never use any form of contraception, contrasted with 20 percent of 18-19 years old who never use contraception (181). These results relate to whether the girls grew up in the affluent society or not. This “affluent” means that the difference of social environment influences the knowledge of children so much.

Conclusion
Abortion itself gives heavy mental and physical damage to fetus’s mother (Hatcher 11), and also father suffers the pricking of his conscience. It is occurs by various reasons, but removing the elements of it leads to reducing unhappy people. Social system has a big power to change the bad situation because fundamentally humanity is formed by society. According to Ryan, ecological networks, professional services, and personal needs are essential to a pregnant teenager (95), and it implies that if society can make these systems, the rate of abortion may reduce gradually. Improving past situation in an honest way changes the society and such a trifling thing leads to prevent adolescents from abortion.

To AYUMI

2006-01-17T18:11:00.000+09:00

I thought about your idea and sended my answer to yamata, because it is long and not clear as usual. So, could you check there? See you!
Hanako

Homewok for tomorrow

2006-01-17T16:21:00.000+09:00

Hi! This is Group1; Haruka, Tao, &Toru.

This is the homework for tomorrow笑:
Please preview the handout we gave today.
It will help you a lot understand our presentation.

See you~

Winter Project -Activities

2006-01-15T17:54:00.000+09:00

Hi!! This is Toru, Group1.

Please tell us your plans -what kinds of Activities will you do after presenting?

Ours is "Debate and Analysis" (to be arranged).
-Debate: We will ask the audience to do the Debate standing the two positions, For/Against some affairs on Abortion. And you can make decisions which sides to choose before the Activity, that is during the Discussion.
-Analysis: We will analyze the result of the Debate and make some comments on it, in terms of our topic of "Religious views on Abortion."

Anyway, please tell us what will you do??

Organ Transplants

2006-01-15T13:30:00.000+09:00

Hi! This is Ayumi.
I need AE mates critical reaction to may argument point of my essay.
My topic is organ translants.
I think Organ Transplants should not keep being leigalized so far.
reason is
1. Organ Transplants from Brain Death Patients
This problem is not aruged enough but the law of organ transplants has already established. All of us should have needed to consider this problem before authorizing 'Organ Transplants'. And I think we need stop and think the law and brain death.

2. Defective Organ Transplants
The patients who need organ transplantation have to wait until the donor comes out. We all have right to live eaqually, but in this case, patients have to just wait though there are some possibilities to live. In addition, if the patient can find the donor, there is posibility that the donor is not suitable for the patient. So Organ transplants might be a defective technology I think.

3. Abuse of Organ
I found the advertisement below in a book.
humans body is treated as a commodity. And though I didn't write in my essay, blog writtern below also shows abuse of organ. That is terrible case.

Eyes for sale or transplant.
$50,000 each----help someone you care for see and in return
you’ll be helping others.
Only sincere parties apply please...
(Kimbrell 30)

How do you think about organ transplants??
Do you support or oppose Organ Transplants??

Comments for Ayumi

2006-01-13T11:23:00.000+09:00

I thoght about your idea, but my answer is long and not clear as usual. I send my answer to yamata. If you want to know my answer, could you check there? See you!
Hanako

About the comment below(Toru's)

2006-01-13T00:17:00.000+09:00

hi.this is shoko. i read toru's comment.
my essay topic is brain death, so it was quite intersted topic for me.
urm...... actually there are many criteria for brain death.
so the point of allowing organ transplant still seems to be unclear.
how do you think???

Happy New Year, from Huwie

2006-01-08T12:22:00.000+09:00

Sorry my "happy New Year"
is late, I sort of lost track of time
playing with puppy!

Group7 presentation topic

2006-01-07T11:08:00.000+09:00

Group 7 Yuki, Shoko, Ayumi

Topic: brain death
Thesis Statement: This presenation will argue whether brain death is death or not from three aspects, emotional, medical, and ethical points.

emotional aspect is position of brain death patients' family.
medical aspect is as it is.
ethical aspect...this is the most difficult point.
we're thinking ethical point is like what makes human human.
But the way to approach this point is hard.

Do you have any idea to approach brain death from ethical aspect?

How do youthink??

2006-01-06T21:02:00.000+09:00

Hi, this is Ayumi.
My essay topic is organ transplantation

Thesis Statement: The organ transplantation has already been legalized in Japan, and the medical technology might be supportable. However, it is attended by many problems and we need to consider that before taking for granted organ transplantation as a part of medical treatment.　

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

If I or my family need transplantation of organ and if there is possibility to recover with taking organ transplantation, I'll hope the operation. I don't want to care whether organ transplantation is morally or ethically acceptable or not. This is place of emotional idea.

How do you think??

I think it might be sure that there is abuse of organ transplantation.
I've heard this story.

Poor children in poor country is sold by their parents, and the children is treated as a commodity.
One day one children was suddenly treated kindly and given very luxurious and nutritious foods by buyer　though usually biolately.
Why?? Maybe you can guess. The children was killed after a month to be a donor.
So cruel isn't it?In addition, the recipient was Japanese boy who wait donnor but finally couldn't get and his mother found donnor in other country, then she asked to take organ translantation not officially. Organ transplantation in darkness....
I don't know whether this is real story or not, but it can be happen, I think.
I can understand this mother's thought, but this is wrong.

Essay topic and thesis statement.

2006-01-06T17:15:00.000+09:00

hi.
this is shoko.
these are my topic and thesis statement for an essay.

topic: Brain death

thesis statement:This essay will argue that brain death is not a human death because of its ambiguity of the word and patient’s living body, therefore, the brain death is not to be redefined as human death by effect of organ transplant.

Essay topic and thesis

2006-01-06T13:16:00.000+09:00

Topic : Euthanasia

Thesis : This essay will argue that euthanasia is agreeable or not from three view point of legalization, right to death and religion.

WP topic&thesis

2006-01-06T12:52:00.000+09:00

Topic:The right to die

Thesis: This presentation will argue whether euthanasia is acceptable or not. For that purpose, people need to think own life-or-death matter through terminal ill patients.

Essay topic&thesis

2006-01-06T12:45:00.000+09:00

Hello!! This is Saho.

topic:euthanasia
thesis:This essay will argue whether euthanasia is morally acceptable or not, focusing on quality of life from various views, and the right of self-determination. Euthanasia is not only the problem of patients but also the problem of everyone because it is related to the dignity of life.

See you, next class.

WP-Group5 Hanako,Saho&Hatsumi

2006-01-06T12:43:00.000+09:00

Topic...Treatment refusal in the end

Thesis...The presentation will argue whether treatment refusal in the end of life is morally acceptable or not.

Essay Topic&Thesis

2006-01-06T12:23:00.000+09:00

Hello! I'm Hatsumi.
This is my topic & thesis of essay.

*Topic....Euthanasia
*Thesis...This essay will argue that the importance of patient’s right, and whether euthanasia should be allowed or not.

Essay topic&thesis

2006-01-06T12:11:00.000+09:00

Topic:euthanasia
Thesis:General argument in this essay has the premises that people will die. This essay will argue that people need to be thought own life-or-death matter through new ethics in modern society.

Winter Project Group 2 Section AE

2006-01-06T11:59:00.000+09:00

Winter Project Group 2 Section AE
Member: Shima, Mei & Manabu
Topic: History of Euthanasia
Thesis: This presentation will argue about history of legalization about Euthanasia.
Euthanasia has been discussed at the points of ethnics, religion, medics, politics and legalization.
Especially, the discussion about Euthanasia supported by modern rationalism, that is to say, the action that release the patient from unbearable pain has become serious problem since the end of 19c.
Legalization of Euthanasia is one of these serious problem, so it is important to decide to direct people in the climate of recent society.

about my essay

2006-01-06T11:36:00.000+09:00

hi!!!!
this is mayuko.
there are my essay topic and thesis below.

topic: Abortion, especially focused on selective abortion

topic thesis: This essay will aruge that selective abortion which is performed after the result of the fetus diagnosis should be prohibited by law completely, because it takes the right of fetuses to live that no one can deny.

see you again in RCA class.
have a good lunch time~

Winter Project -Group1: Toru, Haruka, &Tao

2006-01-06T02:13:00.000+09:00

Winter Project –Topic&Thesis!!

Topic: Religious views on Abortion
There are some different points of view on Abortion due to the different religion, and what religion argues what on it for what?

Thesis:
There are some different points of view on Abortion due to the different religion. And in this presentation, the presenters try to make it clear the essential points of abortion through thinking about different viewpoints on it deeply. The presenters will deal especially with the ones of Buddhism and Christianity both of which are very familiar to Japanese people. And also, the presenters argue about “At what stage is a fetus ‘alive’?” For, different religions may have the different standards to decide what that stage is.
Moreover if possible, the presenters want to think about father's rights in case of Abortion. That is, what kind of rights do fathers can exercise though so many people always think only about mothers' and unborn children's ones? For, about the rights, different religions may have the different ideas, too.

-Please make your comments on it!

Winter Project-Group 6

2006-01-05T23:40:00.000+09:00

topic...1, Abortion gives mental and physical shock to the mother. How effect to mother? How we can see abortion from the view point of medicine and bioethics. 2, Abortion ignores the fetus's human right. Who has fetus's human right. How we can see abortion from the view points of human right.
3, Abortion is bad itself. it is bad ethically and morally. How we can see abortion from the view points of law and how difference between religion and nations.

thesis...Today, there are many women who decide abortion in the world, and also there are many arguments about abortion. This is because there are many people who have differnt background and differnt idea toward abortion. We do not think abortion is fundamentally right or bad, however it should be avided as much as possible, and it depends on the situatuion which the pregant mother and the fetus are. Through this project, we want to analyze abortion from some aspects, medicine, bioethics,human right, law and religion.

"How people think about human life, and what is the good way for children and mothers?"

Essay -Topic&Thesis!!

2006-01-05T23:16:00.000+09:00

Hi!! I'm Toru.
I am so happy to meet you tomorrow though the vacation have ended...mmm

Anyway, my topic is ABORTION!
-Isn't it an ethical problem to admit abortion, the operation which is clearly known as something can cause the damage on the mother's bodies and minds?
-To which rights should be given the priority when the abortion is made, the mothers' rights or the babies' ones?

And my thesis is the following:
In this essay, the writer tries to understand the essential points of abortion, through thinking about its definitions and some arguments on it-especially for the feminist's one. And the writer also thinks about "Active abortion" and "Passive abortion," when deepening the ideas on the damages on mothers and the prior rights. Comparing the "Active and Passive abortion," the writer wants to argue to its readers keep thinking about ABORTION because it is very difficult and controversial.

Essay topic&thesis

2006-01-05T23:03:00.001+09:00

Hi! Let's make an effort to survive this last semester!

My general topic of essay is...abortion is whether bad or not.
Statement of thesis is...There are various reasons when women decide to
have an abortion. However, we can't avoid facing that abortion is one of
the murders. Human life should be treated as valuable thing, so we have to
rethink about the birth of embryos. Nevertheless, there are some situations that
can't avoid practicing abortion. So, the argument will focus on the line when women determine to have an abortion and the point that we can't forget the most significant thing.

I'm thinking about the connection between abortion and pro-choice(diagnose).
If you inform from doctor that your children have any defects? In addition, if you(or your wife) give up to give birth to the baby, is it equal to abortion? It is very difficult problem...please tell me your idea.

About Brain Death

2006-01-05T21:21:00.000+09:00

Hi, this is Ayumi.
ah~class wil start tomorrow...I want winter break more.
Did you spend good time??

By the way, I want to know AE mates' idea about brain death.
DO you think brain death is death? or not death??
My presentation group is going to present brain death.

In my opinion, brain death is death without thinking about organ transplantation, so far.
For, if I think about both organ transplantation and brain death, I'm leaning toward the idea, brain death is not death. I won't touch the reason here.(cause that'll be long)
So...I need your opinion wothout thinking about organ transplantation.

Essay topic & thesis

2006-01-05T18:24:00.001+09:00

Good evenig! How do yo do?

My essay topic is whether euthanasia is acceptable in our society. In addition, what is different between euthanasia and suicide?

My essay thesis
It is natural that people hope to die peacefully without fear or pain. Generally speaking, suicide is not accepted in society, especially in Christian society. However, difference between suicide and euthanasia is ambiguity. In addition, definitions that what is good death or what is good life are very different from people to people. Therefore, we may not be able to legalize euthanasia and need to think carefully when patients use euthanasia.

Essay topic & thesis

2006-01-05T18:24:00.000+09:00

essay's topic and thesis statements

2006-01-05T14:14:00.000+09:00

Happy new year!! I believe you spent good winter vacation.

By the way, we have to finish our homework.

My general topic; How different from eugenics and treatment refusal. Is it distinguishable?

My Thesis statement; Today, human has very developed medicine and technology, owing to these things, patients can be treated very good way. However, sometime, people don’t require to die with a lot of medical equipment, like artificial respiration or equipments which maintain patients life. People hope to accept death with dignity. Through this essay, the writer wants to show the option of treatment refusal and want to show the connection between eugenics and treatment refusal.

I looking forward to seeing you tomorrow with full member.
See you!!

AE about to fall out the window!

2006-01-04T23:41:00.000+09:00

Other way, other way!