shades of gray lesson 4
DESCRIPTION
The Science and Ethics of Stem Cell Research. Shades of Gray Lesson 4. Who Are We? Selected Stakeholders. Anne Graham Lotz. Mitt Romney. Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff. Mary Tyler Moore. Ruben Diaz. Ann Coulter. Gamal Serour. Leon Kass. Michael J Fox. Pope Benedict XVI. Alta Charo. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Shades of Gray
Lesson 4
The Science and Ethics of Stem Cell Research
Mitt Romney
Ruben Diaz
Who Are We? Selected Stakeholders
Mary Tyler Moore
Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff
Anne Graham Lotz
Ann Coulter
Michael J Fox
Gamal Serour
Pope Benedict XVI
Leon Kass
Ronald M. GreenBarb Edwards
and family
Alta Charo
Orrin Hatch
Christopher Reeve
Swami B.V. Tripurari
John Kerry
Judie Brown
William Haseltine
Alfred Mann
David A. Prentice
Barak Obama
Daniel Perry
Nancy Reagan
C. Ben Mitchell
Photos not available: Heather Hanson Joanne C. Sizoo
Central Ethical Questions about the Moral Status of the Embryo
How should we treat the embryo? What rights does it have? What responsibilities do we have towards it?
How do we balance our attitudes towards the embryo with our responsibilities to help others?
At what point in development does an embryo possess 'personhood' or moral worth?
Based on what characteristics or capacities?
Conception - Catholicism (also Protestant denominations Lutheranism, Southern Baptism) - life is sacred from the moment of conception, no matter where it exists (i.e., Petri dish or fallopian tube).
Embryo Implantation - Some scientists, theorists, theologians and others refer to the “pre-embryo” prior to uterine implantation, and regard implantation as morally significant.
Primitive streak - At ~14 days when neural development begins, a sentient (possibly capable of feeling pain) and thus morally significant being exists.
Moral Status of the EmbryoLines of Demarcation
Some Religious Viewpoints
Presbyterian: approves SCR when the goals are compelling and unreachable by other means.
Orthodox Judaism: An isolated fertilized egg does not enjoy the full status of personhood.
Reform Judaism adds that it
would be unethical to NOT
pursue promising medical
research.
Additional Religious Viewpoints
Islam: After the blastocyst stage a human being exists; at 120 days ensoulment. Endorses regulated SCR as long as the potential for benefit is tangible.
Mormon: Doctrine holds that each person lived as a spirit child of God prior to being born and receiving a physical body on Earth; life on earth begins when the spirit and body are united.
Note to Teachers …about the next slide If your students are having a difficult time understanding the U.S. political
spectrum and are not familiar with words like “conservative” and “liberal”, the next slide (though overly simplified) may be helpful.
For students who have some familiarity with the political vocabulary, however, it is NOT recommended that they be instructed in the terminology before the Four Corners Activity. Students often work out amongst themselves the meaning of the words, and have a better appreciation for the complexity involved.
Though a useful tool in some cases, the slide serves to further stereotype stakeholder positions. The object of this lesson is to reinforce the idea that there are many ‘shades of gray’ in considering the perspectives on stem cell research.
A Simplified View of the American Political Spectrum
TotalitarianAnarchy
fascistsocialist
liberal conservative
democrat republican
moderate