The potential use of genetic engineering, the alteration of the genetic material (i.e. DNA) in living organisms, for therapeutic purposes, or “gene therapy”, holds the promise of curing many diseases. The potential use of gene therapy as a preventative treatment for genetic diseases, however, has been controversial, primarily because such preventative measures may involve manipulating the embryo. The beginning of life is an event so universally cherished that any interventions made in this somewhat ambiguous period that marks the beginning of existence, even to prevent disease, is simply too sacrilegious to consider. Yet, at the rate that science is progressing,…
The Science Creative Quarterly
By ireneyu
Irene Yu is a graduate student in Physiology at the University of British Columbia. Besides her scientific pursuits, she is interested in film, history, and literature among other things. She never thought the day would come, but she is also beginning to like poetry.
ON WHOSE SHOULDERS WE STAND: REFLECTIONS ON A HISTORICAL DEBATE CONCERNING SCIENTIFIC ETHICS
Plagiarize Let no one else’s work evade your eyes Remember why the good Lord made your eyes So don’t shade your eyes But plagiarize, plagiarize, plagiarize Only be sure always to call it please “research” (Tom Lehrer) – – – In his song, “Lobachevky”, American songwriter, mathematician, and satirist Tom Lehrer claims that the secret to success is plagiarism. The limerick-like lyrics of the song humourously depicts several aspects of academic life: the competitive nature of research, the need to publish to remain in the game, and the large dependence of scientific advancement on prior knowledge. The notion that future…