SWA #16

IVF

1) Van Voorhis, Bradley, MD. "In Vitro Fertilization."  New England Journal of Medicine, January 25, 2007.

     

     The article discusses the basic practices, ethical standards, and reasons for the medical practice, as well as the complications that are involved. Risks, areas of uncertainty, and strategies for the procedure are examined. Dr. Van Voorhis assumes that the reader has a basic understanding of the female pregnancy cycle, the fertilization process, and medical terms that, for the common person, are relatively simple to understand. He assumes no bias in his article (the article does not favor or condemn IVF). In addition, Dr. Van Voorhis gives data supporting his credibility within his article, as well as sources for his work.

2) "In Vitro Fertilization." How-to-concieve.org. September 6, 2010

     This website is a guide for couples on how to conceive a child; the website's section of IVF is a summary of the practice of IVF, as well as a real-life story on a couple who conceived children via this process. The article goes into detail about the legal aspects of the practice-how embryos not used in the medical procedure are often thrown away or used for research, a practice that violates the moral codes of many religious and ethical groups (I.E. the Catholic Church). The costs for both the couple and the government are discussed, as well as the different regulations IVF faces in the US and in Europe.

Keywords

• Infertility
• Sterile
• Test Tube
• Catholic Church
• Ethics
• Procedure
• Embryo
• Sperm
• Zygote

http://www.hfk2.org/homilies/10-02-2011.pdf

http://inconceivablebook.com/blog/catholic-whispers/

•  "Therefore, IVF is a mortal sin in the same way that pre-meditated murder, rape and torture are mortal sins."
•  "But how do I seek forgiveness for conceiving my children?  If their conception was immoral, what does that say about their souls? I understand the doctrine, but am confused by its necessity.    Isn’t the creation of a loving Catholic family more important than the sexual act?"
• Congratulations on your twins! Even though the Catholic Church doesn’t agree, doesn’t mean God agrees with the Catholic Church. God always has a plan. This is his plan for your family. Don’t let anyone take your joy away. This is your gift for the most precious gift you gave when you handed Logan over to his parents. As I sit here and write this my own daughter and son in law are going through IVF. We are praying and hopeful. She is a pediatric nurse in the Philadelphia area. She has taken care of babies who have parents that have beat, burned, sexually asaulted, and just neglected them. One time she cried as she held a 9 week old who had been thrown against the wall and every bone broken in her little body.The baby cried every time she was moved. I asked her how she can do what she does. She told me that some of these babies have never been loved or shown kindness and if she can provide that even for a short time it keeps her going back to work everyday. Still she can’t get pregnant on her own. She questions the fairness of it all. At times I know she’s angry with God. How can so many babies suffer and be given to parents who don’t even want them when she could provide such a loving home? So you see there is so much contradiction in life. What you have to remember is if God didn’t mean for it be, it wouldn’t be happening. There woudn’t have been the medical science to learn how to do IVF. There is nothing wrong about a family who want to have a baby, can provide a loving home, and will do anything to make that happen. Please keep these things in mind when you hear the wispers. Much happiness and health to you and your family!! God Bless you all!

SWA #15

SWA #15: Research three issues you are considering for the research project (there should be at least one local and one global issue on your list) using Google Scholar and/or the USC Library Databases. Your goal is to find at least 4 diverse credible sources.   On your blog, list the issues and reflect on your search process and results.  Say which of the issues you found easier to research and which of them you are leaning towards

I have been having a fairly easy time going about finding information and resources for my controversial topic, In Vitro Fertilization. It is not very difficult to find sources regarding both the pros and cons of this topic, yet it is still interesting to find out more about the ethical, legal, and spiritual conflicts of the issue. Overall, I have found that gay marriage is so controversial and almost venomous topic, I dislike reading about the pros and cons for the issue, so I have decided to not use gay marriage as a topic. SOPA, on the other hand, is a good topic to use-it is not overly developed, deals with several legal, moral, and spiritual issues, and is a current topic. SOPA news continues to be updated all the time, so the sources I have for it are never ending. I will most likely decide between SOPA and IVF soon.

SWA #12

I. A Healthy Constitution

• In the school systems of today, the food offered is often very unhealthy and dangerous to the well-being of a student

• Students and faculty would benefit from healthier foods 

A. The effects of healthy food

• Students are shown to perform better in class and be less sick less often when they have more healthy fruits, vegetables, and more natural products in their bodies
• Healthy food builds the character of a person: "it is about preparing the student for the responsibilities of citizenship"

B. Edible Education

• Involves teaching students about where their food comes from, what goes into growing it, and even how to grow the food for themselves
• Students more properly respect the work of others when they can literally eat the fruits of their labors
• An important lesson is cooperation: students learn about our dependency on farmers, the land, and about how unification is the key to success

"School should be the place where we build democracy"

1) According to Waters, food can be used to teach values about democracy because food is symbolic for democracy. To grow food, it is stressed that farmers need to work together to grow food, and rely on their ability to produce their own goods and to work together. When farmers work together, more is able to get done because cooperation nurtures the community we live in. Food, in turn, is the symbol of unified labor, teamwork, and success.
2) I believe that the link between healthy meals and learning is from the physiological effects of food. The body will surely be able to function better when more healthy, nutritious food is placed in it. After all, there is a reason as to why the fast food industry stresses placing vitamins and minerals into their products: so that their food is able to give the same amount of nutrients as freshly grown food.However, I do believe that Waters could support her statements with more statisitical evidence.

SWA #13

1. In Vitro Fertilization
     a) A controversial issue involving the fertilization of eggs with sperm outside the body-acts as a variation for infertile couples to have a baby without adoption.
     b) The controversial issue surrounding this topic is that, according to the Catholic Church, IVF disrupts the idea that a marriage exists for procreation. With IVF, one does not need to be married to have a child, nor does the relationship have to be heterosexual.
     c) I believe that this is act is not a sin, because I do not believe that it is a sin to want to have children. Yes, a couple could have children with IVF and not without sex, but from my perspective, the Church seems to treat marriage as a reason for procreation. If a couple is married and wants to have a baby, they should be able to.
     d) I would like to learn more about why this issue is so taboo. I do not understand the Catholic Church's perspective, and I would like to understand why a very powerful organization like the Church is so adamantly against it.

2. SOPA
     a) SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) is a bill that Congress is pushing through to try and give the American government the power to shut down websites that they deem are illegal or do illegal activities.
     b) This topic is controversial because if the government was given this power, they could potentially shut down a website that illegally lets people share information (e.g. Youtube), which would be a major impediment to the 1st Amendment (Freedom of Expression).
     c) I do not believe that the government should have the power to regulate the internet. While the government should have the power to regulate the websites that they have created, they should not be able to regulate "free space." It would be a great blow to the rights of the people if the government could take down whatever website they choose, because of a simple disagreement in opinion.
     d) I would like to learn more about the perspectives of the government in this issue, and why they would seek to take great control of the internet.

3) Gay Marriage
     a) The issue is that many state governments are against gay marriage.
     b) Gay marriage is controversial because it goes against the beliefs of a major religion (Christianity), of which many Americans believe in.
     c) I believe that people should have the right to marry another person.
     d) I would like to find out why many Americans are against it, and if there is any logical reason why homosexuals should not be allowed to be married.

SWA #11

     In Bittman's essay, the author justifies that taxing bad food would benefit our society in several ways. First, the taxation of bad foods would increase the revenue that local, state, and national government organizations would receive. For example, if a 0.02$ tax per ounce would be placed on sugar-enhanced beverages, around $350 million dollars would be saved annually in the state of Illinois. While studies do not show what this affects their would be on a national level, billions of dollars would most likely be saved if consumers did not spend so much money on not only sugary beverages, but also foods like french fries, hamburgers, and bad snack foods.
     Additionally, the taxation of these bad food products would generate more income for the government to spend on more pressing concerns of our nation. Topics like healthcare, retirement, and environmental protection would be greatly enhanced by extra money, which could come from these new taxes. With less bad food available, the emphasis for more healthy foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole-grains would be more prevalent and available. Support for American farmers to produce more produce would increase, which would wean America from its dependence on foreign nations for grown products. Most likely there would be a stronger push for individuals to eat and enjoy these foods at younger ages, so that the support for these more natural foods would be solidified in the youth of today.

SWA #10

I chose the essay Bad Food? Tax It, by Mark Bittman, as the subject of my rhetorical analysis. I believe this essay is easy to understand, as we have discussed the topic of American food and health concerns a great deal in class. In addition, I like how the essay is a very practical, applicable matter for everyday life-most people do drink or eat "bad" food with some regularity, and it seems to be an interesting topic to explore. 


Working Thesis Statement
     A common group of foods in the standard American diet are some of the most hazardous foods available to the public. Junk food, containing little in the way of vitamins and nutrients and a great deal of fat and sugar, is especially dangerous to the health of all. While some measures are being taken to prevent junk food from damaging the welfare of the public, companies that produce dangerous products like these are undermining the efforts of health activist groups so that they can continue to make a profit. In Bad Food? Tax It, an essay by New York Times journalist Mark Bittman, the author uses the argumentative appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos to justify his claim that our nation will be better if "bad" food is taxed.


Formal Outline


Title: The Justification of Taxing Unhealthy Foods in America
Thesis: The author's use of logos, ethos, and pathos in his essay appeals to the reader to support the creation of a tax on bad food.

I. The author justifies that taxing bad food would benefit America by both increasing the amount of money the government has available by the taxes, and decreasing the number of people who are overweight/have health problems caused by the consumption of fast food.
     A. By putting small taxes on junk food (.02$ per ounce for soda, .50$ for fries, etc.) the junk food industries would be reduced and produce less junk food.
     B. With the money gained by taxing this food, the government could subsidize the purchase of vegetables, fruits, and grains that are much more healthy for human consumption.

II. Ethically, it does not make sense to continue to support the massive production of food products that goes on today- no one wants to cause children to become fat and unhealthy
     A. People who are fat because of the junk food industry and suffer health problems that must be taken care of by the government are increasing the billions of dollars the government needs to spend on people who need healthcare because of diabetes related issues.
     B. Based on research done by renowned universities (Columbia, Yale) many states are already pushing or have pushed for taxes on these products. States recognize that the problems of health could be reduced if the ease at which Americans could get junk food was not as it is.

III. Parents should not have to deal with the possibility of causing their children to become dependent on others because of their diet. If parents truly want their children to live life to the fullest, they would not so readily go to fast food places or grocery stores and buy junk food for their families.
     A. By adding a 0.01$ tax on sodas and sugar sweetened beverages, 37,000 cases of diabetes would prevented and three billion dollars in healthcare would be saved in New york State alone.
     B. More money could be spent on gyms, pools, and other recreational activities through saving money on these taxes.

SWA #8

1)  By appealing to the typical values that conservatives treasure, such as protection of rights and respect for life, Scully appeals to the conservative audience's view. He discusses the morals and ethics of protecting humans, and how animals ought to be held by the same standards. This includes abstaining from needless cruelty, basic sanitary needs, and the freedom to not be manipulated by owners.
2) Scully's statement means that, because animals do not have the cognitive abilities to match humans, and therefore to match human reasoning and moral development based off of developed ethics, humans have an obligation to protect the rights and guarantee the safety of animals. In this sense, I do agree with him.

I do not think Scully properly addresses any objections to his claims. He does state that people do say that the equal treatment of animals is "comical," and "ridiculous,"he does not present a section that shows the viewpoints of the opposing parties, which would discuss how factory farming is a boon to society.

SWA #9

The central claim of the article, "Factory food artificially cheap, bad for your health" is that, because Americans are beginning to grow more aware of the poor and harmful quality of life that American livestock face, big time farmers should change their methods of raising animals so that they can grow and develop in a healthy, environmentally friendly, and morally respectful manner. Because big business farmers deny their animals the right to a natural diet (grasses and bugs) and large, open areas to graze, the quality of livestock has deteriorated to the point where the meat products produced from such animals are toxic for human consumption. From this article, it is clear that the author assumes that certain values of a reader are connected to certain assumptions. For example, the author assumes that, because someone is reading about the inferior quality of living, the reader may change their own dietary habits and support farms that raise animals in a more humane manner. In addition, the author also assumes that, because this issue not only affects the quality of meat, but also the environment (feces are carted out and left in rivers and aquatic sources because the animals are kept inside- in the natural environment, animal feces are deposited on the ground, where they make the soil more nutrient rich), a person who is reading this might do something to improve the situation of these animals because they value the environment.

SWA #7

I feel that my essay struggles with supporting my statements-I have difficulty in finding evidence to make a definite statement about something, because I am not sure how to support it. In addition, I am not sure if I need to include a paragraph that addresses the disagreements and other viewpoints of someone, as I do not know if my essay is going to be disputed.

SWA #6

      The print media of the modern era focuses on issues and topics that appeal to a wide demographic of people. To attract readers, magazines fill their pages with material that the authors feel are important to the values, interests, and concerns of its audience. One of the most popular subjects that appeals to most people is health. Even among gender-specific magazines, ads for a popular health product, deodorant, are very common, as deodorant is an important product to society. However, the design and layout of deodorant ads differ enormously. Old Spice, a popular men deodorant, typically is characterized by masculinity, confidence, and an appeal to a specific set of values in its ads. The popular woman's deodorant Secret typically depicts its subjects being good looking, independent, and empowered to show that they are not bothered by sweat stains. Together, the two ads used for these products reveal the cultural values of American society.

SWA #5

• 1. The woman's Secret ad was featured in Cosmopolitan, while the man's Old Spice ad was featured in Men's Heath.
  2. The typical topics covered for Cosmopolitan include fashion, celebrity gossip, interviews with celebrities, advertisements for products, health, dating advice, and other topics. Men's Health includes fitness, relationship advice, advertisements for cars, sports, clothing lines, interviews with celebrities, articles on major world events, etc.
  3. The demographics for both magazines are young adult to middle-aged individuals: Cosmopolitan targets women, while Men's Health targets men.
  4. In Cosmo, products/services included range from clothes, jewelry, fashion accessories, makeup, and beauty products to dating advice, horoscopes, and other help services. Men's Health includes clothing, cars, fitness products, accessories like watches and shoes, and services like relationship help, monetary issues, etc.
  5. The publisher assumes that the reader is looking at the magazine because one of the topics frequently associated with the magazine (clothes, interviews, advice) will be inside: the reader is a person who wants to gain knowledge from the magazine, and is thus interested in the material that the magazine offers.