8 Genetic Engineering and medical ethics. Flashcards
What are some of the benefits of genetic enginering?
Stem cell therapy can cure Parkinson’s , Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Strokes, arthritis, diabetes, burns and spinal cord damage.
It is strictly monitored by law with strict guide lines so that it isn’t abused.
GM crops can feed more people and stop famine.
Name some of the types of genetic engineering.
Cloning. Creating something that is the same.
Genetic therapy and PGD. Look at the DNA to find a gene that causes a disorder and get rid of it or changing someone(like in my sisters keeper) so that they can help a person.
GM crops. Changing crops so that they are cheaper, healthier or more hard wearing.
What are some of social reasons against genetic engineering?
If it cures lots diseases then the population will rocket.
Where does the process end?
We don’t know the long term consequences.
It is wrong for humans to play God.
Give reason for.
God is Omniscient. He knows how to create life that works. We don’t know so would only make his work worse.
God made us the stewards of the Earth. We should look after and not change creation.
Playing God is comparing ones self to God which is blasphemy.
It often means embryos are destroyed which is murder.
Trying to make life perfect is wrong. This life is preparation for paradise. We don’t want heaven on Earth.
It is wrong for humans to play God.
Give reasons against.
It can lead to curing of diseases, meaning lives can be saved which is what God wants. Jesus was a healer.
He gave us the ability to conduct genetic engineering. We should use our God given ability.
It means we know more about the world and how complex it is. This means we can appreciate the wonders of God better.
The golden rule. We would to be helped by genetic engineering.
Embryos are only potential human life when 14 days old.
Should we care about global warming?
Give reasons for.
It leads to sea level rise which means land it flooded. People will have to move and land will will lost.
It will get hotter meaning more drought.
Should we care about global warming?
Give reasons saying no.
We will be dead before there is any impact on us.
We naturally produce carbon dioxide. Why should we try to stop?
It is part of a 100,000 year cycle where temperature fluctuates.
Nature produces more CO2 then humans will ever do.
If it was due to humans the troposphere would get warmer quicker but it’s not.
How does global warming happen?
CO2 is produced from burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil.
Methane is produced by cattle and paddy fields where rice is grown.
Nitrous oxide is produced when plants and animal die.
This traps the suns heat and the world gets hotter.
It could cause 350-600 million to suffer a water shortage.
Do you think global warming is the greatest threat to our planet?
Yes as it can affect all parts of the environment. It causes temperatures to rise. This melts ice caps meaning sea levels rise and animal and plant habitats close to the coast will be flooded. The warmer temperatures also mean that animals are disturbed. Caterpillars are being born early in the year so birds can’t eat them later.
Explain how global warming affects the enviroment?
Polar ice caps will melt and animals who use them as a habitat won’t have a place to go.
The melting of ice caps means that sea levels rise meaning that animal and plant habitats that are close to the sea will be destroyed.
The warming temperatures means that there has been an increase in insects and this has damaged trees. Spruce bark beetles have affected 4 million acres of forest.
The seas become hotter meaning that some marine organisms have moved into new habitats where they have a smaller chance of survival.
Humans should be bothered by global warming.
Give reasons for and against.
For
It causes towns and cities to flood so millions of people will have to be re-located.
God made us stewards so we must look after the world and not damage it.
It will cause droughts in the developing world. Crops would fail and millions would be without food.
Against.
It is a 10,000 year cycle where the temperature changes.
Nature produces more CO2 then we do.
I will be dead before it affects me.
Do you think enough is being done to solve the issue of global warming?
No as every year 15 million tonnes of paper is thrown away in the UK. This means that 15 million more trees will have to be cut down meaning they can’t absorb CO2 which causes global warming. We should recycle paper.
Also there are 20 million cars in the UK but only 3000 of them are electric. This means that lots of CO2 is put into the atmosphere. If enough was being done, we would have more electric cars.
Why is pollution a major problem facing the planet.
Every year 900,000 tonnes of electrical waste is produced and 90% of it goes to land fill. It causes 40% of the lead in land fills and it can get into rivers and other habituates poisoning plants and animals.
Chemicals from factories get into the food chains of polar bears. They become infertile meaning the number of baby cubs goes down.
Power stations produce large amounts of sulphur dioxide. This causes acid rain which damages forests and pollutes rivers so large numbers of plants and animals die.
Every year 800,000 pieces of litter are put into the oceans. This means 1000000 birds die every year because they eat it.
Do you think humans are doing all they can to look after the world. Give reasons for no.
No as we produce lots of sulphur dioxide which poisons rivers and kills many plants and animals.
In 2005 60,000 square KM of wood was cut down. This means that millions of trees and animals died which isn’t good enough as God wants us to look after the world.
Humans are also producing lots of green house gas. This causes global warming and sea level rise meaning animal habituates are flooded.
Do you think humans are doing all they can to look after the world. Give reasons for yes.
If the levels of CO2 stay at the currant levels the temperature of the world won’t reach critical levels. This means no real damage is being done.
Last year in the UK the amount of rubbish being recycled was larger than the amount going into land fill. This means humans are getting better at looking after the environment.
In 4 years the amount of solar panels grew 60% and the amount of biodiesel increased by 41%. This proves that humans are using less energy that damages the environment and we are trying to improve.
How does acid rain work?
Acid rain is created when burning fuel is mixed with sulphur and sulphur dioxide gets into the air. This can erode buildings and damage the enviroment.
How does eutrophication work?
It is one of the types of water pollution. Fertiliser gets into the water causing plant life to flourish. However this means that more oxygen is used up so fish can’t breath it. They die.
How does land pollution work?
Litter and refuse is buried and is left on the ground. This causes an increase in the rat population, which means that disease is spread more.
How does radioactive pollution work?
This is caused by nuclear power plants malfunctioning and nuclear waste. Cancers and deformities can be caused as well as leukaemia. Genetic defects can occur and these are passed down.
Name the four types of pollution.
Radioactive, land, acid rain and eutrophication.
Explain why natural resources are a concern for people.
They are running out. In 40 years oil will run out meaning energy prices will rise and so will transport costs.
Natural resources such as oil, gas and coal produce CO2 when burnt. This causes global warming and the melting of polar ice caps.
If we keep using them at the currant rate there will be none left for future generations and it is an un-Christian thing to do.
We are wasting the gifts that God gave to us. He gave us enough resources so we have to save them.
Religious people shouldn’t drive cars. Give reasons against.
It would not make a large difference. Everyone would need to stop driving to save the environment.
If they have electric cars they won’t damage the environment by producing CO2.
Owning a car means a religious person can do nice things such as take people places, visit the elderly and help move things.
Religious people shouldn’t drive cars. Give reasons for.
All types of cars cause environmental damage. Diesel and petrol cars produce CO2 and electric cars need batteries which have to be taken around the Earth. Nickel for the batteries is minded and the mines produce sulphur dioxide which causes acid rain,so they cause more damage then petrol cars.
Religious people believe that
We should be worried about natural resources running out.
Give reasons for.
If they run out, the west will be paralysed.
We are wasting what God gave to us.
Future generations can’t use them.
Using them can damage God’s world.
We should be worried about natural resources running out.
Give reasons against.
They won’t run out in our life time.
We can use the sun and the wind which will never run out.
We can stop them running out by conserving them.
