SHHS Unit 8 Environmental and Medical Issues Cards

Question 1

2.1 What is Global Warming?

Answer 1

The increase in the temperature of the earths atmosphere (thought to have been caused by the greenhouse effect)

Question 2

2.1 What are the causes of Global Warming?

Answer 2

The Greenhouse Effect

Natural Climate Change

Solar Activity

Question 3

2.1 What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Answer 3

This is caused by human activity.

The burning of fossil fuels produces a barrier in the atmosphere which means that the heat from the sun can get in, but cannot get back out again.

Question 4

2.1 What is natural climate change?

Answer 4

Some scientists believe the Earths climate has always been changing.

This is supported by the fact that in the last 10,000 years the warmest periods have happened long before humans started to produce lots of carbon dioxide.

Question 5

2.1 What is solar activity?

Answer 5

Changes in the Earths temperature are caused by the amount of radiation coming from the sun.

When solar activity is high, solar winds cause fewer clouds to form so more heat from the sun reaches Earth, causing it to heat up.

Question 6

2.2 What are the possible solutions to global warming?

Answer 6

The Kyoto Protocol (55 nations pledged to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5.2% a year)

Alternative ways of making electricity (solar, wind, nuclear)

Alternative ways to power cars (electric, biofuel)

Improving the efficiency of how we travel (car sharing, using public transport, bikes, walking)

Question 7

2.2 What are the forms of pollution?

Answer 7

Acid rain

Human Waste

Eutrophication

Radioactive Pollution

Question 8

2.3 What is a Finite Resource? Can you give an example?

Answer 8

• They disappear once used
• Coal, oil, gas, iron, tin, copper, uranium and hard wood (takes a long time to grow)
• If finite resources runs out this means no cars, no TV’s, no radios etc.

Question 9

2.3 What is a renewable resource? Can you give an example?

Answer 9

Resources which can be used over and over again.

Wind power, solar power, water power, fertile land using food, rape seed oil, sugar cane etc.

Use of renewable resources causes no problems. However, using it to make electricity is more expensive.

Question 10

2.3 Can you explain the possible solutions to running out of finite resources?

Answer 10

1. Use renewable energy resources
2. There are already a few cars on the market which can be powered by water and electricity.
3. Recycling can enable the lifetime of many finite resources to be extended.
4. We could change our lifestyle, use natural products, eat organic food and ride bikes or walk.

Question 11

2.4 What do Christians believe about stewardship?

Answer 11

God gave human the stewardship of the Earth and its resources.

Question 12

2.4 Why do Christians believe they should be stewards of the earth?

Answer 12

1. Genesis creation story God gave humans the right to rule over the Earth.
2. Parable of the Talents - God expects humans to pass on to the next generation more than they have been given. (leave earth a better place)
3. Sermon on the mount this teaches that Christians have a responsibility to ensure a fair sharing of the Earth’s resources.
4. Judgment day - People will be judged on their beliefs and behavior.

Question 13

2.4 How do beliefs about stewardship affect Christian attitudes towards the environment?

Answer 13

1. Christians should try to reduce pollution and preserve resources for future generations.
2. Christians should try to improve the quality of life of the less fortunate, but sharing the Earth’s resources.
3. Christians feel they have a duty to support the work of groups which try to reduce pollution and conserve resources.
4. Christians should be judging what they are doing in their life by the standards of Christian stewardship.

Question 14

2.5 What does Islam teach about stewardship?

Answer 14

God created Adam as his khalifah.

All Muslims are God’s khalifahs who have to keep the balance of creation and look after the Earth.

Islam also teaches there will be a day of judgement. A major part of this test is looking after the environment.

Question 15

2.5 How should Muslims try to be good khalifahs?

Answer 15

1. Muslims should try to reduce pollution and preserve resources by following the Shari’ah.
2. Stewardship means a fair sharing of the Earth’s resources. Muslims should try to improve the quality of life of the less fortunate.
3. Muslims have a duty to support the work of groups that try to reduce pollution and conserve resources.
4. Every Muslim should be judging what they are doing in their life as an individual by the standards of Islamic stewardship.

Question 16

2.6 What treatments are there for infertility?

Answer 16

IVF

AIH (artificial insemination from husband)

AID (artificial insemination from donor)

Egg Donation

Embryo donation

Surrogacy

Question 17

2.6 Who supervises these infertility treatments?

Answer 17

supervised by the Human fertilisation and embryology authority

Question 18

2.6 Why are infertility treatments important?

Answer 18

1. 12.5% of couples in the UK are estimated to have fertility problems
2. 1.5million men in the UK alone have fertility problems
3. In 2007, 12% of all births in the UK were as a result of infertility treatments
4. It is a part of nature for people to want to have children and raise a family.
5. Psychological problems can be caused if couples are desperate to have children but cannot.

Question 19

2.7 What does the Catholic Church teach about infertility treatments?

Answer 19

1. Life is given by God.
2. It feels great sympathy for the childless who want children.
3. Only accepts methods which do not threaten the sacredness of life and in which sex acts are natural.
4. Medical treatments involving medical technology are banned for Catholics.

Question 20

2.7 What do other Christian churches believe about infertility treatments?

Answer 20

1. It is good to use tehcnology to provide couples with the joy of children as having children is one of the purposes of christian marriage.
2. The egg and sperm are from the husband and wife so it will still biologically be theirs.
3. The discarded embryos are not foetuses and their destruction can be justified by the doctrine of double effect ( the purpose was to produce children for the couple not to kill embryos)
4. All Christians agree with adoption.

Question 21

2.8 What do Muslims believe about IVF and AIH?

Answer 21

1. Accept IVF and AIH when couples are having fertility problems because:
2. It is simply the use of medicine to bring about the family life, which all Muslims are expected to have.
3. The egg and sperm are from the husband and wife and so the baby will be the biological offspring of its mother and father.
4. The discarded embryos are not foetuses.

Question 22

2.8 What do Muslims believe about infertility treatment which is NOT IVF or AIH?

Answer 22

1. Islamic lawyers have banned all the other types of embryo technology because:
2. They deny a child’s right to know its natural parents, which is essential in Islam.
3. Any form of egg or sperm donation is regarded as a form of adultery.
4. Egg and sperm donation is very similar to adoption, which is banned in Islam.

Question 23

2.9 What is transplant surgery?

Answer 23

1. Use of organs taken from one [person and put into another person to replace a organ that is malfunctioning or diseased.
2. The organs have to be compatible.
3. Drugs have to be used to prevent the organ being rejected by the new host.
4. It gives life and hope to people for whom otherwise there would be no hope.

Question 24

2.9 What are the two types of organ donation?

Answer 24

1. organs from a dead person.
2. organs from a living person which they can live without.

Question 25

2.9 Who regulates tranplants in the UK?

Answer 25

UK ULTRA (unrelated live transplant regulatory authority) regulates live transplants, to ensure no commercial dealings of organs through the black market

Question 26

2.9 Why is transplant surgery important?.

Answer 26

1. it is an effective method of curing life-threatening diseases and improving peoples lives. 2. The number of people needing transplant surgery rises by 8% every year, so they are an important part of health provision. 3. transplant surgery is a proven and efficient way of bringing life out of death. 4. It is pioneering surgical methods which could be used to cure diseases by the use of artificial organs ( spare part surgery)

Question 27

2.10 Why do MOST Christians AGREE with transplant surgery?

Answer 27

1. Christians believe in immortality of soul - the body is not needed after death so therefore organs can be used to help living 2. Christians who believe in resurrection believe in St. Paul’s words that the body will be transformed and not need the physical organs. 3. Jesus told Christians they should love their neighbors. 4. Golden Rule

Question 28

2.10 Why do Christians disagree with paying for organs?

Answer 28

Christians object to paying for organs because it is likely to lead to exploiting the poor and the Bible is full of statements about not exploiting the poor.

Question 29

2.10 Why do SOME Christians not agree with transplant surgery using organs from the dead?

Answer 29

* Organs that can be used from the living are not vital and so can be used to obey Jesus’ command to love your neighbor.

Question 30

2.10 Why do some Christians not agree with transplant surgery at all?

Answer 30

1. Transplants could disregard the sanctity of life. 2. They believe that transplanting organs is usurping God’s role and it is wrong to ‘play God’ 3. It raises the problem of when someone is dead. (hearts need to be beating when transplanted) 4. It diverts resources from prevention or less expensive cures which could improve the lives of far more people than a single transplant.

Question 31

2.11 Why do MOST Muslims against transplant surgery?

Answer 31

1. The Shari’ah teaches that nothing should be removed from the body after death. 2. Acting as God is the greatest sin in Islam. 3. The Muslim belief in the sanctity of life. 4. Many Muslims believe that they will need all their bodily organs if they are to be resurrected on the last day.

Question 32

2.11 Why do some Muslims allow transplants from living donors?

Answer 32

1. Some Muslim lawyers have said that it is permissible 2. Muslim law council said in 1995 that Muslims could carry donor cards and have transplants. 3. Islam aims to do good and is not intended to put burdens on people that they cannot bear.