Eugenics

The Country of China accumulates over 1/5 the population of the world with a massive total of over 1. 3 billion people. Having an Immense population not only creates problems within the country, but also triggers some of the largest Issues our world has faced today. Although China has released a One-Child policy to slightly limit the population rate, problems are continuing to grow at a constant rate. The most powerful institution in the nation of China is the Communist Party of China, otherwise known as the CPA.

They set goals and policy that the government hen sets in motion (Dreamer). The Chinese government is generally thought to be repressive, while freedoms of speech, assembly, religion, and press are not well respected (“China”). In 1979, the Chinese Communist leader Issued the One-Child Policy to limit the nation’s population (Hardwood). There are also exceptions to China’s One-Child Policy. For instance, the policy applies only to the Han, who make up about 92% of China’s population. The Han are descendants of China’s first great dynasty.

However, rural couples are allowed to have a second child if the first one was a female (Dreamer). Many believe that this form of policy Is unfair and can disturb the cultures of Chinese families. Years ago, China was once concerned for having had too many people to support. As of today, the One-Child Policy causes the country to have too few children to support a rapidly aging country (Hardwood). Also, because males are more valuable than females traditionally, the female population declines. If the ratio of men increases over women, then the population will also decline too fast (Hardwood).

Based on the July 2013 census, the population of China stands at about 1,349,585,838 and continues to grow (“One-Child Policy’). With several people living In urban areas. It is quite difficult for China’s government to force its population controlling policies (Hardwood). Those who don’t follow the policy are penalized with heavy fines, destruction of home or possessions, political/physical harassment, and even loss of employment (“One-Child Policy”). Even with the policy, China’s population still continues to grow at a rapid pace.

Some estimates show that nearly 1 million more births occur than deaths every 5 weeks (“One-Child Policy’). These problems will only continue to expedite adversely If a resolution does not develop soon. There are several causes for the rapidly increasing population, but only a few present itself as the primary source. One of the main factors is the fact that China has a high birth rate and a low death rate. This is due to a lack of family planning, a high level of Infant mortality and increased sanitation.

Some cultures also believe that It Is unacceptable to use contraception’s (“China”). Other than the logical causes, there was also said to be an “Economic Project” which had Increased the population to spark China’s economy. According to sources, “in 1 978, China embarked on an economic project that liberated foreign trade and investment; encouraging the formation of rural and private businesses as an attempt to raise China’s economy (Hardwood). This project ultimately led to people having more children as it was conducive to the economy.

The problem of overpopulation and the One-Child Policy affect China In several unemployment are serious problems which continue to rise in China (“China”). The Chinese government neglected to protect its water, air, and land against pollution. Because of this, China is the world’s second largest producer of the dangerous greenhouse gases (Dreamer). For the impacts from the policy, “Officials of China suggested that the immediate consequences of the policy shift would be relatively minor, although the government’s own demographic estimates showed that upwards of 10 million couples will be affected” (“One-Child Policy’).

The average household size in China was also down to 3. 1 people, from 3. 44 in 2000. From an international standpoint, the One-Child Policy impacts the entire world by helping reduce the population. Although people around the world complained that the rule was extreme and unfair, the policy has, in some ways, been effective (Dreamer). With China having a mass number of people living in such packed places, several people tend to immigrate to other countries, which can likely cause other problems within those countries as well (Dreamer).

Because China is the most populous country, China attracts several other multi-national companies to set up their businesses in areas holding the largest people. Examples of these companies include Coca Cola, Motorola and Volkswagen (Hardwood). Because several companies set up their businesses in a variety of locations, China is ranked number one for having the fasted growing economy (“Dreamer”). Solutions to improving the policy are slowly going into effect.

After the policy, a system of benefits and penalties went into effect. Couples who signed the policy pledge were sometimes granted rewards including regular payments, easy access to healthcare, education, and even desired Job categories for both the parents and the child (“One-Child Policy’). In the past year, China’s governing Communist Party released a document presenting policy changes in allowing couples to have an additional child if the mother or father was an only child (“One-Child Policy’).

Because f the fact that the policy changes suit most people throughout the nation, the country of China may be able to become stable in the future without disturbing too much of the culture (Hardwood). Although China has released a One-Child policy to slightly reduce the population, the changes they have made will allow the country to become stronger and more stabilized. Although the country of China still contains problems due to an immense population. The Communist Party of China is still in search for a greater solution to make their nation a better place for both China and the World.

As the price of energy continue to climb to all-time high records, the general public has failed to notice that it is the rapid rate of population growth that is to blame for rising prices of oil and gasoline. Every year, an additional 77 million people are added to consume more energy (Smith). One may say that there is more demand for energy as population climbs. Basic knowledge of the law of supply and demand, one may be able to conclude that higher demand nets higher price. The situation is made worse because there is only a limited supply of oil which is used to run vehicles and most electrical power plants.

Developing countries which also have higher population growth have energy consumptions rates that are also rising (Smith). The demand for energy such as oil is good for oil producing countries since oil has become a very expensive commodity. Countries that do not have much oil deposits would have no choice but to purchase oil from oil-producing countries which are mostly from the Middle East. This constitutes a climb in the Middle Eastern economies and a drop in the economic performance of non-oil-producing countries.

As more people use up energy from fossil fuels, more greenhouse gas is produced which contributes to global warming. Global warming then adds a plethora of other economic problems. Abnormal weather conditions have been messing with the growth of certain crops and some animal species are finding it hard to adapt to the changing climates.

Overpopulation will ultimately lead all sorts of other problems. It may lead to hunger when a country’s production of food is no longer able to provide for its people. Because of hunger, crime will rise, waste management will become out of control and disease will spread. There are many other economic hazards associated with rapid population growth. One should only think carefully to identify what these negative effects are.

Works Cited

Smith, Jack Z. 24 June 2008. Earth Feels Pressure Of Population Growth. Courant.com. Accessed June 30, 2008, from ;http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-smith0624.artjun24,0,

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Throughout history there have always been circumstances where the government has required citizens to undergo some sort of medical procedure. Even though some of these procedures were commonplace in the past, they are now considered ethically wrong. Forced sterilization is an example of this, because it denies a woman of the ability to bare children, and denies a man the ability to inseminate.

Sterilization is defined as ‘the act of making an organism barren or infertile (unable to reproduce)’. When most people hear the words ‘forced sterilization’ the first thing that often comes to mind are the Nazis. In the 1930’s the Nazis introduced a massive, compulsory sterilization of a large segment of the German population (Rosenberg, Jennifer). The government believed that the Germans with the best genes had been killed off in the Second World War, while those with the worse genes stayed behind and didn’t fight, and were then free to procreate more of their ‘bad genes’.

Believing that that the preservation of the optimal German genes were more important that an individual’s rights, the government had the authority to do whatever it took to preserve these optimal genes. However, Germany was not the first country to perform forced sterilization (Rosenberg, Jennifer). Even though in the United States we tend to overlook this as something that did not happen, it did. It is part of our past, and will always be part of American history.

During the 1900’s the United States had a eugenics program in which the purpose was to attempt to perfect the gene pool, with the idea that if society’s degenerates, like criminals and the mentally ill were barred from having children then society’s problems would disappear (Webster University). American biologists like Charles B. Davenport and Harry H. Laughlin supported the idea of keeping the Anglo-American race pure. Their belief was that most ailments and social problems were hereditary, like poverty and criminality (Piotrowski, Crista). Therefore, people with ‘good enes’ should be encouraged to pass on their genes by having more children, while those with ‘bad genes’ should be barred from reproducing. There were many types of people who fell under the label of being genetically inferior. This included epileptics, manic-depressives, prostitutes, alcoholics, the homeless, and criminals. People who fell under any one of these categories or who caught the negative attention of authorities were deemed ‘feeble-minded’ by the court, and were legally forced to undergo sterilization (Piotrowski, Crista). Several other countries used forced sterilization as well, though for different reasons.

Peru, for example, was faced with a large population jump and not enough resources to support all the people. So they came up with a solution: making a target number of the amount of people to e sterilized every year, which would effectively lower the population if the plan worked. n 1996, it was 100,000. It was not met that year, but the target for the next year was increased to 130,000 and in that year, the quota was met. Even though sterilization can be performed on both men and women, it is mostly women who are victims of forced sterilization since they are the one who actually have babies (Webster University).

About 40 years ago in North Carolina, it wasn’t uncommon that a single mother on welfare, or a mental patient in a hospital to be forcibly and unknowingly sterilized against their will. Of course at the time, over half of all the states in the U. S. had eugenics laws well into the 1970’s (Rose, Julie). North Carolina is currently thinking of compensating the victims of forced sterilization, most of whom were poor and uneducated, blacks and whites alike. One woman, Elaine Riddick, now 57, was sterilized at age fourteen because the state deemed her promiscuous and a trouble maker.

Riddick was actually a young girl living in poverty and hunger, and was a victim of rape. While giving birth through C-section to her only son, the product of said rape, the doctors also sterilized her. There was consent form on which Riddick’s illiterate grandmother signed the go-ahead for the procedure with an ‘X’. What’s worse is that Riddick didn’t find about her being sterile until she was married, 19, and trying to have more children. Riddick is just one of the many sharing the same story. Nearly 7,600 men and women as young as 10 have been sterilized in North Carolina.

Social workers would coerce women to have the operation under threat of losing their public assistance, because sterilization was viewed as a way to cut spending on public welfare (Julie Rose). Forced sterilization is a procedure that violates several medical ethics, which is defined as a system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine (Wikipedia). This procedure violates three medical ethics: autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Every patient is given the right to choose or refuse treatment: the right of autonomy.

However, forced sterilization doesn’t give the patient the chance or ability to make the decision themselves, because the government chooses for them. Beneficence explains that a doctor must always act on a treatment or procedure that is in the best interest of the patient. Sterilization wasn’t in any way in the best interest of the patients it was performed on. It was only in the best, selfish, interests of the government who wanted to keep the Anglo-American race ‘pure’ and eradicate social problems. Forced sterilization also violates non-maleficence, which simply translates to three words: Do No Harm.

Many of the patients that were sterilized underwent the procedure without their own knowledge, not knowing of their barren status until years after when they began to question their failed attempts at having children. I am completely against this concept of the government forcing its citizens to do a medical procedure against their will, or performing it while the patient is unaware of it is beyond inconsiderate. It’s cruel, and plainly said, it’s downright shady.

Works Cited

1. “Medical Ethics. ” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Dec. 2010. Web. 22 Nov. 011. .
2. Piotrowski, Crista. “Dark Chapter of American History: U. S. Court Battle Over Forced Sterilization. “
3. Home | Common Dreams. Common Dreams, 21 July 2000. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.
4. Rosenberg, Jennifer. “Sterilization. ” 20th Century History. About. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.
5. Rosenberg, Julie. “North Carolina Considers Compensating Forced Sterilization Victims : NPR. ” NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. 22 June 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.
6. “Women and Global Human Rights. ” Webster University. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.

The Environmental Issue of Overpopulation Jakira West June 10, 2012 The Environmental Issue of Overpopulation As time passes and our world’s population continues to grow, overpopulation is becoming a very serious issue deserving of the upmost acknowledgement and consideration. Throughout history crowding of the earth and the overuse of the world’s natural resources has hardly been a main concern. Today however, with a population of 7 billion people and counting, the diminishment of the earth’s resources has become a more serious issue than ever before.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, overpopulation occurs when a population’s density exceeds the capacity of the environment to supply the health requirements of an individual. In other words, overpopulation happens when the amount of individuals exceeds the amount of resources the individuals require in order to satisfy their most basic needs. Overpopulation has become an issue because our earth can only provide so much for the sustainment of every human life. In the past, more industrialized and populated countries have been main contributors to the pollution and plundering of the Earth.

The United Nations reports that population increases have slowed and even stopped in places such as North America, Japan, and Europe. Still, the growth in population of places such as sub-Saharan Africa and south and western Asia has been a significant factor in the increase of the world’s population. “Industrialized countries in the past have done their share of plundering and polluting. But today most such problems occur in developing countries commonly called the Third World, which also happen to be the areas of greatest population growth” (Nat Geo).

The global population rises at the rate of 78 million people per year. A problem within the problem of overpopulation is the fact that the fastest growing countries are the least able to afford their large populations. “Africa’s population has tripled since 1960 and continues to grow the fastest. Europe had twice as many people as Africa in 1960. By 2050 experts estimate there will be three times as many Africans as Europeans” (Nat Geo). The idea of more people may not seem like a big deal, but it is a huge deal when everyone’s most basic needs cannot be met because there are too many people.

The United Nations believes that as the 21st century approaches, more than a billion people will lack their most basic needs. Nearly three-fifths of the 4. 8 people in developing countries lack sanitation and other needs as it is. In 1798, British economist Thomas Malthus proposed the theory that population growth would surpass that ability to produce food, and this, he said, would lead to war, famine, and disease (Nat Geo). Pollution, exploitation of natural resources, and deforestation are just a few of the effects of overpopulation. Another negative aspect of overpopulation is the issue of waste management.

More people means more waste, and more waste means that a serious innovation in waste management must occur. Otherwise the poor management of waste will lead to massive disease outbreaks. Besides this, more waste also means more pollution. Every year the United Nations observes a World Population Day. On this day there is great fanfare, the government officials issues statements regarding depopulation programs, and the media has a field day with the talk of depopulation methods. Many people are apprehensive in regards to the subject of overpopulation and some blame overpopulation as the real cause for poverty and underdevelopment.

However, there are those that don’t view the subject as a threat and that the facts should be thoroughly reviewed before making such claims. Doug Allen, dean of the school of Architecture at Georgia Institute of Technology, believes that overpopulation isn’t a serious concern seeing as how architects and urban design experts don’t even consider the theory when they build their models. He also goes on to cite the falling birthrates in urban populations such as Italy as further proof. Many researchers have claimed that the problem is not too many people and that contrary to popular belief, world population growth is actually declining.

According to UN figures, the 79 countries that comprise 40 percent of the world’s population now have fertility rates too low to prevent population decline. According to Dr. Osterfeld of St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana, “by meaningful measure the world is actually becoming relatively less populated (Jan). Despite the belief that the world is not becoming overpopulated, the world’s population has been increasing since the eighteenth century. Population has risen six-fold in the past 200 years and this has been made possible by explosions in productivity, resources food, information, communications, science, and medicine.

Supposedly, the six-fold increase is thus dwarfed by the eighty-fold in world output during the same 200-year period. The current overpopulation hysteria began in the sixties with Paul Ehrlich who wrote the book “The Population Bomb” and frightened millions with prophesies of starvation, death, and destruction (Jan). Ehrlich predicted increases in famine, dwindling and rising expenses of natural resources, piles of waste, and destruction, all of which are occurring as we speak. According to the U. S.

Census Bureau’s International Data Base, by the year 2050, India will replace China as the world’s most populated country (Hoevel). This will happen as a result of each country’s rapid population growth rate. If India and China continue to grow at their current rates, their countries will become overpopulated and their resources will become jeopardized. The president of the Population Institute, Lawrence Smith, believes that the worst possible result of overpopulation would be the diminishment of fresh, clean water (Hoevel). I completely agree with this because obviously no living organism can be so without water.

Fresh water is a valuable and diminishing resource. Two percent of the earth’s water is fresh and 1. 6 percent is frozen in polar ice caps and glaciers. A huge issue we will have in the near future is how the increasing population will share less than half percent of the earths usable freshwater. With that said, uranium will also become a valuable and diminishing resource because the nuclear power generated by uranium is used to run seawater desalinization plants (Mills). One of the biggest issues with the growing population rate is that it means there will be many more mouths to feed.

As of right now, we do not have enough food to do that, so we will need to grow more. To grow more food, we will need to yield to arable lands and find more fresh water, and we will also need more nuclear energy (uranium). Potash will also become a valuable and diminishing resource because it is one of the macronutrients essential for plants to grow and thrive. Potash is a major source of potassium, which is found in every plant cell. The increase use of plant nutrients will be most effective in increasing crop yields in the face of an increasing global population and water shortages (Mills).

In conclusion, overpopulation has a number of effects and will cause a myriad of chain effects. Scientists, economists, and investors alike all see vital issues aroused by the growth in our population. It is a serious matter because it will lead to the exhaustion of our already diminishing natural resources as well as disease outbreaks and even more pollution. Technology has struggled to keep up with and tend to the problem of overpopulation, yet the challenge to find more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to preserve the earth and feed the world still remains.

Our natural resources must be reserved and used efficiently. While some countries are making strides within their own borders to halt the issue, the only solution to the problem of overpopulation is for the nations to come together and decide a civil, humane, and environmentally friendly way to work towards the management and preservation of the earth and her resources. Works Cited Hoevel, Ann. “Overpopulation Could Be People, Planet Problem. ” CNN. 25 Sept. 2007. Web. 19 May 2012. <http://articles. cnn. com/2007-0925/tech/overpopulation. overview_1_world-population-population-institutepopulation-estimates? s=PM:TECH>. Hovel describes some potential effects of overpopulation and cites credible references. India will replace China as world’s most populated country by 2050. There will be 9 billion people by 2050. Highlights issues of freshwater scarcity and waste management. Hopkins, James. “Overpopulation: The Human Population Crisis. “Overpopulation: The Human Population Crisis. Web. 19 May 2012. <http://www. cosmosmith. com/human_population_crisis. htm>. Hopkins describes the issue of overpopulation from a mathematical and scientific standpoint. Exponential growth is applied to human population.

Compares past population growth to recent growth. States that human population will reach 8 Billion by 2028. Describes carrying capacity. Compares population growth in third countries to that of rich countries. Describes nature “a the balance of existence. ” Jan, Abid Ullah. “Overpopulation: Myths, Facts, and Politics. ” Overpopulation:Myths, Facts, and Politics. Web. 19 May 2012. <http://www. albalagh. net/population/overpopulation. shtml>. This source is valuable because Jan views overpopulation from a different standpoint. Believes world population is actually declining.

Recalls “hysteria” beginning in the 60s with Paul Ehrlich. Discusses poverty and underdevelopment in relation to overpopulation. “Latest Video. ” Overpopulation Is a Myth |. Web. 19 May 2012. <http://overpopulationisamyth. com/>. This source is valuable because it also views overpopulation from the opposite standpoint. Challenges United Nations’ theory. Uses “scientific evidence. ” Provides visuals. Mills, Richard. “Resource Scarcity and Population Growth. ” FINANCIAL SENSE. N. p. , 01 June 2012. Web. 10 June 2012. <http://www. financialsense. com/contributors/richard-mills/resourcescarcity-and-population-growth>. National Geographic: Eye in the Sky–Overpopulation. ” National Geographic:Eye in the Sky–Overpopulation. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://www. nationalgeographic. com/eye/overpopulation/overpopulation. hml>. Talks about population growth in third world countries. Mentions British economist Thomas Malthus. Cites United Nations. “OVERPOPULATION: A Key Factor in Species Extinction. ” Overpopulation. Web. 19 May 2012. <http://www. biologicaldiversity. org/campaigns/overpopulation/index. html>. Discusses doubling of world population. Describes overpopulation as a key factor in species extinction. World Overpopulation Awareness. ” WOA!! World Ovepopulation Awareness. Web. 19 May 2012. <http://www. overpopulation. org/>. Aims to solve issue with justice and compassion. Provides information on environment, sustainability, and human impacts and also covers a range of topics from nitrogen to global warming. Provides information on potential solutions. “Worst Environmental Problem? Overpopulation, Experts Say. ” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 Apr. 2009. Web. 19 May 2012. <http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2009/04/090418075752. htm>. Describes overpopulation as planet’s most pressing issue.

Abstract The term “designer baby” is used by journalist and media to refer to a baby whose genetic makeup had been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with in vitro fertilization to make sure there is a presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics (Designer Baby, n. d. ). Before, designer babies have been used to prevent genetic defects of offspring or to prevent a child from a number of mutations and diseases. Now, with our advancements in reproductive technologies, doctors are taking this to a whole new level by using genetic diagnosis or PGD to design their patient’s idea of a “perfect baby. In this paper I will discuss the reasons why I’m against the idea of designer babies. Genetically Engineering A Designer Baby Imagine going to a hospital and ordering a baby, just like you order a meal at your favorite fast food restaurant: “Hi, can I have a girl in the model category. Straight brown hair, brown eyes, and a bronze tan. Actually, make that green eyes, instead of brown and make her hair a little wavy, but not too wavy. Medium stature is fine, with a fit body type. Oh yeah, can you make sure that she’ll have perfect white, straight teeth too.

And that will do it! ” Sounds a little ridiculous doesn’t it? Well believe it or not, designing your idea of a “perfect” baby may be completely normal in the next few years because of the highly advanced reproductive technologies out there today. Some would argue that being able to genetically design their own child would be a blessing but here are my reasons why I think the idea of designer babies isn’t just morally and ethically wrong, but could eventually lead to the possibility of controlling the human population to ensure certain physical characteristics.

On March 3, 2009 an organization called Fertility Institutes offered what journalists call “designer babies” (Designer Babies: Parents can Select Physical Traits, 2011). The technology they use is called preimplantation genetic diagnosis or PGD. It’s been used to improve the likelihood of a successful pregnancy and birth for couples with either infertility related to recurrent miscarriages or unsuccessful in vitro cycles and couples who are at high risk for passing on inherited genetic disease to their offspring (Preimplantation Genetics, n. d. ).

Before, PGD was strictly used only for the couples who absolutely needed it. Now they are taking this technology that we’ve used since the mid-1980s to a whole new level. Wanting to fulfill the desires of their patients, Fertility Institutes said that their patients could not only select the gender of their soon to be child, but could choose their baby’s skin, hair, and eye color (Preimplantation Genetics, n. d. ). This new technology sparked many questions and controversies. From conception and on, parents are viewed as risk factors in their child’s life.

Pregnant women are constantly being reminded to eat the right food, get enough exercise, stay away from alcohol and cigarettes, and the list goes on and on. If she doesn’t follow these guidelines, she is putting her child at risk (Debating ‘designer babies’, 2003). A child is the icon of vulnerability. In using their power over a vulnerable child, parents can do harm whether they mean to or not. Parents are constantly making decisions for their child in hopes that one day they will be successful. With the idea of designer babies however, parents might replace their love with a mentality of perfection.

These parents will pay thousands of dollars to make sure their baby is born physically perfect so of course their standards of their child will be extremely high. If a child can’t live up to his or her parents expectations, they might go through their whole life feeling like they’re not good enough. Knowing that their parents have selected every trait about them from their gender to hair color, children will feel less free. What if parents really do replace love with wanting their child to be perfect? The child might grow up not knowing what love is since he or she has never experienced it.

I know it’s a bit dramatic, but this just might be the ending of love and compassion. Eugenics is defined as “the study of or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species or a human population, by such means as discouraging reproduction by persons having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits” (Eugenics, n. d. ). We’ve all heard of the infamous Adolf Hitler. His plan was to create a world full of tall, blonde hair, blue eyed “perfect” people and to eventually obtain world domination.

He tortured and killed thousands and thousands of people because they were Jewish, African American, homosexuals, handicaps, and communists. When I first read about designer babies this is the first thing I thought of. With all the new reproductive technology, there is a possibility that someday, there will be a perfect race. This also ties into who would be able to design their baby’s traits. Only the wealthy would be able to afford the luxury of designing a perfect child. So not only would these children be flawless and beautiful, but they would also be born wealthy.

The average or poor people will have normal children while the wealthy have their perfect children. There is already a fine line between the wealthy and the poor. The wealthy are constantly getting richer, while the poor remains poor. Which brings me to my next point, if we start creating these designer babies, what happens to the “normal” children? These kids will be considered ugly and scary since they’re not perfect. The new generation of designer babies would hate anyone who doesn’t appear to have the flawless appearance they have and the normal children would hate the designer children because they’re not as good looking as them.

The designer kids would act as if they are better and look down to normal people. Our society is constantly concerned with looks as it is. I can’t even imagine how the normal children will feel. They’ll hate themselves for not looking as beautiful as the others, blame their parents for them being “ugly,” and lose confidence in themselves. As you know, I’m against designing babies to achieve the perfect appearance, but I understand that sometimes using PGD to screen embryos is necessary. Take the story of Philippa for example. An interview done by United Kingdom BBC (2005) said that she had a problem with her DNA.

It never affected her health, but it meant that most of her eggs didn’t carry genes needed for a baby to grow healthy. Every time she got pregnant, she miscarried. The doctors suggested that she try PGD. This ensured that her baby would be free from any genetic abnormalities. Nine months after using PGD she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, named Ruiaridh (BBC, 2005). Philippa had no desire to design a perfect baby, so I don’t consider Ruiaridh a designer baby. In cases where a parent is preventing their future child from a disease, I think it’s 100% acceptable.

If I was in that position I would do the exact same thing, without a doubt. All-in-all, designing perfect babies is something we shouldn’t be toying with. The results could be devastating. In my eyes, the bond between a parent and their child is something special. When I laid my eyes on my daughter for the first time, I was amazed at how much she resembled me. Her eyes, her nose, her lips, everything looked exactly like me. This is one of the best things about being a parent. I couldn’t imagine designing her with different features than God didn’t intend her to be born with.

Children don’t need to be artificially selected by genetic engineering to be considered perfect. To a parent, every child should be born perfect no matter how they look. References Eugenics . (n. d. ). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Eugenics Johnson, P. (2012, January 20). Pros and Cons of Designer Babies. Buzzle. Retrieved April 20, 2012, from http://www. buzzle. com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-designer-babies. html Lee, E. (2008, April 17). Debating ‘Designer Babies’. Spiked-Science. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from www. spiked-online. om/Articles/00000006DD57. htm[->0] Luck, M. (2011, May 15). Designer Babies. ce399 | research archive. Retrieved April 20, 2012, from http://ce399eugenics. wordpress. com/2011/05/15/designer-babies-parents-can-select-physical-traits-at-fertility-institute-2/ Pray, L. (n. d. ). Embryo Screening and the Ethics of Human Genetic Engineering. Scitable. Retrieved April 20, 2012, from http://www. nature. com/scitable/topicpage/embryo-screening-and-the-ethics-of-60561 Who’s Afraid of Designer Babies?. (n. d. ). BBC. Retrieved April 20, 2012, from http://www. bbc. co. uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/babies_prog_summary. shtml

1. Two philosophies, Social Darwinism and eugenics, were two philosophies that affected societal actions from the 1900s well into the late 1920s. Examine the social issue of Social Darwinism and eugenics. Assess the consequences these two issues had for individuals and society in general; consider how the fallacy of these two issues was brought to light. (6a) 2. Red Scare- The U. S. experienced inflation at the end of WWI and this inflation resulted in riots and a. What main ideas prompted the Red Scare? b. Compare and contrast the Red Scare with Social Darwinism. (6a) 3.

Immigration- Immigration was a contentious issue for the country during the 1920s; the United States passed the National Origins Act in 1929. a. As a citizen of the 1920s, question your congressional representative by assessing the social and economic consequences of this act. (6a) b. Speculate on that you think what the societal impact of present day immigration policies is. 4. Prohibition- The prohibition era was ushered in by the 18th Amendment which outlawed the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages; however, the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th amendment in 1933. (6a) a.

Identify the ideas and the historical highlights that led to the Prohibition era. b. Analyze the positive and negative effects of this era. 5. The Changing role of women- The text describes the 1920s as a time of the emergence of the “New” woman (Carnes 647). a. Evaluate the democratic means used to bring about the passage of the 19th amendment. In other words, what democratic processes were utilized to achieve this victory? (23b) b. Analyze the impact of the 19th amendment which changed the role of women? c. Preview the characteristics of the new woman and describe the impact that technology played in bringing about this change. 6a) d. How are women’s roles changing this today and how does these changes affect men? 6. Urban-Rural conflicts emerged during the 1920s and one of these conflicts was fundamentalism. “Fundamentalists rejected the theory of evolution as well as advanced the hypotheses on the origins of the universe. ” (Carnes: 653). Part of rejecting this theory was to prevent schools from teaching the theory of evolution in science classes. a. Describe the court case mentioned in chapter 24 that tested this issue. b. Distinguish between the roles played by Clarence Darrow and William Jennings. c.

Think critically about the evidence presented by both lawyers and prepare questions that you would have asked them had you been the judge in this case. 7. New Technology flourished during the 1920s and brought a measure of prosperity to the country. Among the new technology was the automobile industry which thrived during the 1920s as a result of consumer demands. a. Assess the impact that Henry Ford had on the auto industry and on American society. (6b) b. Assess the impact that the automobile had on society. 8. Aviation Technology- The Great War hastened the evolution of airplane technology.

Many new pilots showed off their aviation skills performing aerial acrobats and other adventurous feats at county shows in the 1920s. But an early aviation pioneer, Charles Lindberg, achieved a different type of aviation accomplishment in the 1920s. a. Examine the impact that this event and Lindberg had on the field of aviation and on American society. Thinking Critically In a paragraph, synthesize your thoughts about the cause and effect of the significant events, social issues and individuals of the 1920; consider how this decade contributed to the history of the United States and the identity of its citizens.

Intro (revise): The 1920s enabled the United States to assume a greater economic role on the world stage. Unlike the major European powers at the time, the U. S. did not have to rebuild its economic infrastructure following World War I, enabling it to flourish and exhibit influence over many aspects of life during this decade. This included an increase in item production, the emergence of the automobile and the radio, and changes in American social and cultural life. The 1920s were an important decade in American history.

This would be the decade that laid the foundation for the journey that would propel the United States to the status of greatest world power. The 1920s had an impact on all parts of the American development. {{Consider: Ninety years ago, the United States was a different place. There were 107 million people living here; life expectancy was 54 years for men and 55 for women; the average annual salary was $1,236, and Gangland crime was rampant in major cities. The Ford automobile was mass produced and one could be had for $290 — although it took 13 days to reach California from New York due to the lack of paved roads.

And, On Aug. 26, 1920, women were granted political power for the first time. }} Social Darwinism/Eugenics: Social Darwinism was a popular theory of society that emerged in the late 19th/early 20th century. It was the ideology that people are the products of their social environments– that poverty is in fact a social condition and that people become criminals because of social and economic conditions, etc. It developed the belief that society’s problems were not caused by oppressive economic conditions, but rather that social problems were caused by genetic inferiority.

This was adopted by many wealthy and upper-class Americans and was related to the development of the ideology of “Social Darwinism,” the idea that certain people were “genetically” more fit and that the more fit legitimately had the right to rule the inferior. The idea that poverty, crime and ignorance are a product of social conditions was a threat to the dominant members of society because the call was for these dominant members of society to reform their ways to create increased equality for all people.

It is out of all of these ideas that the American eugenics programs began, funded by wealthy Americans such as Andrew Carnegie and John Rockefeller. The idea was that people were born poor or , etc. They were “bad seeds”, and thus the problem of poverty was not really a social problem, it was a problem of bloodline, to be fixed by selective breeding programs, forced sterilization, and the maintenance of “racial purity”. Racial purity was the idea that races “should not mix” out of the fear that if whites and blacks ixed the inferior black bloodline would “corrupt” the white bloodline, leading to more crime, poverty, and ignorance. Between 1900 and 1930 in the United States, support for eugenics continued to grow. The fallacy of selective breeding in humans was only realized when the wealthy were suddenly poor, and the reality of genocide had demonstrated the extreme end of eugenics—in other words, with the shock of the Great Depression and the rise of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany, which ushered in the Holocaust.

But the dissolution of eugenics in the United States was a slow process, because racial discrimination persisted. Involuntary sterilization laws, enacted in the early 1900s, were finally repealed in 1979. The Red Scare: The Red Scare of 1919 occurred at a time when the American people felt threatened by the rising tide of Communism in Russia, widespread labor unrest, and the often bizarre forms of Anarchism and Anarcho-syndicalism that were supported by some recent immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe.

The Scare itself was caused by the revelation in April of that year that a militant Communist group existed in the United States, and that it was plotting to send mail bombs to a number of prominent figures in the government (Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, for example) and several rich capitalists (J. P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller, among others). On June 2nd 1919, bombs exploded in eight different cities within an hour of each other. One of the targets was Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, whose home was bombed. He was unharmed, but very angry! The most important government response was the beginning of the Palmer Raids.

These were a series of mass arrests and deportations of immigrants who were suspected of being Communists or radicals. Between 4,000 and 10,000 individuals were arrested over the next two years. (J. Edgar Hoover, only 24 at the time, was placed in charge of the Raids). Prisoners were questioned without access to attorneys and their bail was often set so high none could afford it. Many were beaten during their arrest or questioning. The raids were initially highly praised by the public and press. In the early years of the 1920s, the scare seemed to disappear as quickly as it had begun. Immigration:

Passed in 1924, this law placed a limit on immigration. Americans were becoming outraged at the amount of jobs they were losing to immigrants and there was also a wide-spread panic of potential spies amongst the immigrants. The act sharply restricted the total number of immigrants who could come to the United States and established quotas for various nationality groups. The chief purpose of the act was to limit the number of “less desirable” immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and from Japan, many of whom had played a vital role in the nation’s industrial development. The Prohibition:

Prohibition was a period of nearly fourteen years of U. S. history in which the manufacture, sale, and transportation of liquor was made illegal. It led to the first and only time an Amendment to the U. S. Constitution was repealed. After the American Revolution, drinking was on the rise. To combat this, a number of societies were organized as part of a new Temperance movement which attempted to dissuade people from becoming intoxicated. At first, these organizations pushed moderation, but after several decades, the movement’s focus changed to complete prohibition of alcohol consumption.

The Temperance movement blamed alcohol for many of society’s ills, especially crime and murder. Saloons, a social haven for men who lived in the still untamed West, were viewed by many, especially women, as a place of debauchery and evil. Prohibition, members of the Temperance movement urged, would stop husbands from spending all the family income on alcohol and prevent accidents in the workplace caused by workers who drank during lunch. Changing Role of Women: The Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote.

It was proposed on June 4, 1919 and ratified on August 18, 1920. Consequently, the impact of this was enormous–it gave to women the same power and control that men had, although still held back by the values of the day. But it did create a strong influence and created a cultural impact. It gave women of the era more confidence and a sense that they could accomplish more. –and a thirst for more freedoms in a world where previously they were considered second class and only as a man’s property. The lifestyle changes of the 1920’s showed how big and important that impact was.

Women became much more confident and wanted to utilize this new “power” in other areas, too. They gave up many of the “controlling” aspects of the Victorian age, from the long and buttoned up clothes to new aspects of personal freedom–they started to live outside the confines of being a wife and homemaker–women got jobs outside the home, they started playing sports, they shortened their dressed and bobbed their hair–and had fun! The Roaring Twenties was a new age, and an age where women first started enjoying more freedom and influence.

That has continued on to this day, although there is still work needed to level the playing field between men and women. Technology: He had a huge impact on society by inventing and mass producing the Model-T car, which made cars all the rage from that point onward. He is basically the father of the modern auto industry. He also helped America out of the Depression when he contributed to build the Hoover Dam, which at the time when it was built was the largest hydro-electric dam in the world.

Aviation Technology: Charles A. Lindbergh did not just open a passageway to Europe; he opened up the hopes and interests of people who never thought they would see beyond their continental boundaries. His flight opened up possibilities. Prior to Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight, it seemed travel was confined to the ground or the sea; and even cars and wagons were blocked by waterways or treacherous terrain, and boats exposed to rough seas. Travel had boundaries rior to Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic, but after his flight people could see beyond those boundaries. Works Cited: Social Darwinism: Consequences: http://rationalrevolution. net/articles/rise_of_american_fascism. htm http://www. vectorsite. net/taevo_05. html Fallacy brought to light: http://www. freemarketfoundation. com/ShowArticle. asp? ArticleType=Publication&ArticleID=170 http://immigration. laws. com/national-origins-act