Transcript File - Social Sciences

Environment and
Medical Ethics
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Keywords
Global Warming – the increase in the temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere
(thought to be caused by the greenhouse effect)
Natural Resources – naturally occurring materials, such as oil and fertile land,
which can be used by humans
Conservation – protecting and preserving natural resources and the environment
Creation – the act of creating the universe, or the universe which has been
created
Environment – the surroundings in which plants and animals live and on which they
depend to live
Stewardship – looking after something so it can be passed on to the next
generation
Artificial Insemination – injecting semen into the uterus by artificial means
Embryo – a fertilised eff in the first eight weeks after conception
Infertility – not being able to have children
In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) – the method of fertilising a human egg in a test tube
Surrogacy – an arrangement whereby a woman bears a child on behalf of another
woman OR when an egg is donated and fertilised by the man through IVF and then
implanted into the woman’s uterus
Organ Donation – giving organs to be used in transplant surgery
Contents List
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Global warming and solutions
Pollution and solutions
Using up the earth’s resources and solutions
Christian ideas on stewardship
Jewish ideas on stewardship
Infertility Treatment
Transplant Surgery
Global Warming
• The increase in the temperature of the Earth’s
atmosphere
• Problems:
– Rise in sea levels (melting ice-caps)
– Rise in temperature
– Disruption to wildlife habitats
• Possible Causes
– The Greenhouse Effect – human activity – burning of
fossil fuels producing CO2 creating a barrier in the
atmosphere, trapping heat and causing temp. to rise
– Natural Climate Change – Earth’s climate always
changing
– Solar Activity – radiation from sun
Global Warming - Possible
Solutions
• Alternative forms of energy (no carbon
dioxide)
• Electric and Hydrogen powered cars –
no carbon emissions
• Increased efficiency in manufacturing
• Public Transport
Pollution
• Acid Rain – burning fossil fuels releases sulphuric and nitric
acid, making rainwater in clouds acidic. Destroys buildings and
forests.
• Human Waste – sewage, refuse, litter.
– Sewage can cause water pollution.
– Refuse goes into landfill or incinerated.
– Litter – increase in rats (carrying disease), chokes animals,
causes car accidents and fires.
• Eutrophication – fertilisers cause an excess of nitrates,
nitrites and phosphates. Leads to an increase in aquatic
plants, fish dying and poison entering water supplies.
• Radioactive Pollution – waste from nuclear power stations is
buried. Will take thousands, even millions of years to be safe.
We don’t know if the containers will be able to contain it for
this time. Can kill humans, cause cancer, genetic mutations?
Solutions
• Acid Rain – stop using fossil fuels
• Human Waste – recycling, stop littering
• Eutrophication – organic farming
methods
• Radioactive Pollution – Reprocess
nuclear waste
Scarcity of Natural Resources
• Renewable Resources
• Non-Renewable/Finite Resources
Solutions
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Alternative ways of making electricity
Electric powered cars
Recycling
Alternative lifestyles – organic food,
riding bikes etc.
Christian Stewardship
• Genesis – Creation – God gave humans the right to rule
over the world, control of all living things.
BUT
• God gave humans stewardship of the Earth and its
resources
• Old Testament – Humans have a responsibility to treat
animals humanely and treat the land kindly by not growing
crops every 50th year
• Parable of the Talents – Jesus taught that God expects
humans to pass on the next generation more than what
they were given
• Sermon on the Mount – Jesus taught that Christians have
responsibility to ensure fair sharing of Earth’s resources
• Judgement Day – part of judgement will be how well they
have fulfilled duty of stewardship
Jewish Stewardship
• God made human beings as stewards of the
earth
• Genesis – God gave humans control of the
earth.
• In the Mitzvot (Jewish commandments) it
says:
– Every town must have an unused area around it
– Never destroy useful things of the earth
– Celebrate the festival of Tu B’Shevat (new year
for trees) by planting trees in areas they are
needed.
– Don’t plant or harvest crops every 50 years.
Infertility Treatments
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In Vitro Fertilisation
Artificial Insemination by Husband
Artificial Insemination by Donor
Egg Donation
Embryo Donation
Surrogacy
Christian Views on Infertility Treatments
Catholic Views – NO!
• Sanctity of Life
• Fertilised eggs thrown away life begins at conception –
“thou shalt not kill”
• Artificial
insemination/surrogacy
involves male masturbation –
a sin as can’t result in
procreation
• Fertilisation takes place
outside of sex act – God
intended procreation to be
part of sex act not separate.
Other Christians – Yes to
IVF and AIH
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One of purposes of Christian
marriage is children – good to use
technology to do this
Egg and sperm from husband and
wife – baby is their biological
offspring
Discarded embryos not foetuses –
destruction can be justified by
doctrine of double effect
Major concerns about other
methods but not officially banned
– problems of who parents are
and could cause problems for
children
All Christians encourage childless
couples to adopt
Jewish Views on Infertility
Treatments
All of Judaism – Yes to
IVF and AIH
Other Forms of
Infertility Treatments
• Preservation of Judaism • Most Orthodox Jews – Do not
allow AID – seen as a form of
• God intends humans to
adultery. Surrogacy not allowed
use the benefits of
– whoever gives birth to the
technology as long as it
child is the mother and
Jewishness passed on through
is within the mitzvot
mother
• Discarded embryos not
• Many Orthodox Jews – accept
regarded as foetuses –
egg donation as long as egg
destruction justified by
donated by Jewish mother
double effect theory.
• Most Reform Jews accept AID,
egg donation and surrogacy –
upbringing is what makes a child
Jewish
Christian Views on Transplant
Surgery
Most agree because
• Immortality of the soul –
body not needed after
death.
• Resurrection – St. Paul Body will be transformed
and resurrected body
won’t need organs
• “Love thy neighbour”
• “Do unto others as you
would have them do unto
you”
Some Christians do not
agree because
– Sanctity of life
– Usurping God’s role
– Does a surgeon save the
life of the unknown
patient or the patient
they know who needs a
transplant?
– Diverts resources from
prevention or less
expensive cures.
Some only agree with donations from living donors because …
Organs such as heart are intrinsic part of individual created by God
Humans usurping the role of God
Organs from the living aren’t vital so can be used to obey “love thy neighbour
Jewish Attitudes to Transplant Surgery
Many allow transplants from a living donor as long as the donor
is a close relative because:
• They believe organs such as the heart are an intrinsic part of the individual who
has been created by God.
• Organs from non-Jews might affect someone’s Jewishness.
• Transplanting organs from the dead to the living is trying to be God.
• Organs cannot be paid for because exploiting people is banned in the Torah and
Tenakh.
• Organs which can be used from the living are not vital and so can be used to
obey the Mitzvot to preserve life.
Some Jewish people agree
because
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They believe that God wants people
to use medical technology to save
lives
Organ donation obeys the mitzvot to
love your neighbour
They would not accept paying for
organs, because the Tenakh forbids
exploiting the poor.
Some disagree because
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They believe that transplanting
organs is breaking the mitzvot on
the sanctity of life
Organs have been created by God
for a specific individuals.
Having transplanted organs may
affects someone’s Jewishness.