And Baby Makes Three

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Position Paper

For my biomedical ethics class I need to write a position paper or case analysis, and I would prefer to do the position paper because I feel it gives me more leeway and availability to express my opinion. However, I am having a very difficult time finding a topic that either interests me or has enough information or is important enough to write about. I would like to write about something in the genetics realm, anything related to it, such as gene therapy, required prenatal screening, selective abortion, whatever. I need to choose a topic but I can't really think of anything, and the ones I listed are either too broad, too narrow, or I just don't want to do it. Any suggestions for a topic?

8 Comments:

  • At 7:10 PM , Blogger Matthew B. Novak said...

    Stem Cell stuff is really interesting, especially since they're discovering that adult stem cells are just as good as embryonic stem cells.

    But I think it depends on what you want to say about the various topics. A paper discussing what we know now that we didn't when Roe v. Wade was passed could be very timely in light of SD's abortion ban. If you want to deal with prenatal testing, what would you say? That we should require it? Then what? You've gotta give us more to go on before we help you come up with a thesis.

     
  • At 7:27 AM , Blogger empeterson said...

    that's my whole problem matt, i don't know where to go with stuff. I don't want to do abortion, that's for sure, but maybe I'll do the adult stem cells vs. embryonic stem cells. That could be interesting and do-able.

     
  • At 8:46 AM , Blogger Matthew B. Novak said...

    How long does the paper have to be?

     
  • At 11:18 AM , Blogger empeterson said...

    around 5 pages, so not horribly long.

     
  • At 3:21 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Then either do stem cells, or prenatal testing, with the caveat that you need to protect the baby after testing.

    Or do physician assisted suicide - why do people thinnk PAS is a dignified way to go?

     
  • At 8:23 AM , Blogger empeterson said...

    I may or may not do stem cells, otherwise I'm looking at genetic engineering, either the pro or con side of germ-line or somatic therapy or the pro or con side of genetic engineering of diseases or just traits. She only wants me to choose one, not to choose one and argue against the other, because the paper would be too long. Which is unfortunate, but oh well.

     
  • At 4:53 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    who cares? i always having trouble coming up with topics i really really really like. and i am never satisfied with things people give me.
    good luck though

     
  • At 7:44 PM , Blogger empeterson said...

    ok, i'm doing germ-line genetic engineering, and i'm taking the position of being against it.

     

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