Examines whether criminals are born (biology) or made (learned behavior). Discusses psychological causes, rehabilitative value of work programs, career criminals and stages of a criminal life.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 7 sources, 2001, $ 63.95
From the Paper "Are Criminals Born or Made?
Introduction
The question whether criminals are born or made is not an easy one, and the answer may lie in one's own intellectual background. Psychological theories would place the blame in learned behavior, or a combination of social/family environment and the criminal's own neurotic predisposition. Sociologists, however, would place the blame in social and economic factors, and the success of targeted intensive job programs for offenders would lend support to their arguments. Physiologists seek biological determinants for the causes of crime. Nonetheless, some crimes seem inexplicable even given all these factors, leaving the door open for the assertion that some people are just born criminals.
Psychological Cause.."
From the Paper "For thousands of years, farmers have bred crops and animals to produce better outcomes in terms of crop yields, pest or drought resistance, speed of ripening, or growth rate. Now they are doing it with the aid of biotechnology by using genetically modified organisms to produce their desired results (Maynard, 2000). For instance: a stalk of corn that breeds pest-resistant corn, a potato that becomes resistant to the protein beetle, a strawberry that can withstand frost, and a soybean whose DNA is spliced with that of a petunia to produce a plant engineered to survive otherwise toxic doses of herbicide, are all products of genetically modified plants.
Traditional crossbreeding in plants requires the mixing of thousands of genes in the hopes of developing a plant with the desired trait. With biotechnology, characteristics can be ..."
Abstract This paper is a detailed descriptive, argument paper about the effects of stem cell research. It is more of a pro stem cell research paper than a con. This term paper discusses stem cell research and clearly defines many difficult biological terms.
From the Paper "Can you imagine a world where very few genetic disorders and an abundance of organs for donation exist? Fortunately, this will be the scenario if scientists keep advancing in the field of stem cell research. Many people, when they think of stem cell therapy, think of humans creating embryos in vitro just to use them for stem cell research. This is simply not true. Stem cells should continue to be researched because the potential benefits of a medical breakthrough can benefit humans in many ways. According to Jessica Reaves, a columnist for Time Magazine, ?The development [of stem cell technology] could, one day, lead to the mass production of blood for use in transplants or transfusions, blood that is totally indistinguishable from what is coursing through our veins. We could all say good-bye to blood supply shortages and blood drive mobile units.? Bio-technology has advanced so much, that ethics concern scientists and the people that fund their research. Scientists have to make sure that they do not "play God" and that their research has some significance to it, but much of the general population wonders if stem cell research needs to be conducted. People think that scientists are performing these stem cell experiments just because they have the technology to do so and the projects have no significance to them whatsoever. This is a common misconception that the average person has. Many people will be willing to accept the concept of stem cell research and its role in the benefit to the human race if they knew just a little more about the subject. "
Biological/psychological study of functional differences between brain's hemispheres. Discusses brain damage, perception, nervous system activity, test measurements, expression & facial emotion.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 8 sources, 1988, $ 39.95
From the Paper "This biological psychology paper will discuss left brain/ right brain differences. What is meant by left brain/right brain differences are differences between the two major hemispheres of the brain, the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere. The focus
will be on how the hemispheres differ functionally to affect psychology. A number of studies will be summarized.
II. Biological Aspects
Study of patients with damage to only one brain hemisphere is used to deduce how the right brain and left brain are different-iated. Robertson and Delis (1986) note that patients with damage to the left brain have more difficulty in visuospatial part-whole processing than do patients with damage to the right brain."
From the Paper "Shortly after the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species in 1859, there began a conflict that has been raging to this day. Theologians with their biblical creationism have sought to contest the ideas of biological evolution as stubbornly as scientists have attempted to prove them. While it may seem that the scientists and their theory of evolution, having logic and hard scientific method on their side, have dominated in modern society, the creationists have not given up. With the new development of what is called "creation science," or the attempt to establish a scientific basis for the biblical creation stories, the creationists have managed to regain at least a foothold in the modern scientific world.1 In response to this, there have been several scholars strongly opposing this movement, labeling it a fad and building up a wealth of arguments against ..."
Abstract This paper discusses the many uses of stem cells, especially in the area of juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's disease and cell regeneration. This paper explains how the fertilized human egg develops into stem cells and their various biological sources and how they are acquired for use in research, including the NIH guidelines. The author believes that stem cell research is so new that the scientists can only guess at what it will be able to achieve as well as what it will not be able to do.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Acquisition of Stem Cells
Opposition to Stem Cells Research
Limitations of Stem Cells Research
Conclusion
From the Paper "Early research into the use of stem cells focused on two separate approaches. One involved the "control of gene expression", or determining when genes were active or inactive. The other involved the generation or new cells. Some recent research has combined the two approaches, looking at the possibility that gene manipulation could be combined with cell growth, further broadening the potential applications for gene therapy."
Abstract Despite only being around for the last ten years, genetically engineered crops account for more than two-thirds of all crops in the United States. This paper provides a brief explanation of what GM foods are. It then discusses the reason GM foods have become so popular is so short a time, the main reason being the monetary value linked to patenting GM crops. Finally, the paper discusses the adverse effects of using GM foods, including the fact that the U.S. government does not fund any research into the health effects of GM food.
From the Paper "The Nobel Prize-winning chemist Robert F. Curl proclaimed the 20th century was "the century of physics and chemistry, but it is clear that the next century will be the century of biology" (Rifkin). Welcome to the age of biotechnology and genetic engineering. From cloning, to synthesized human insulin, to industrial alcohols like ethanol and methane, genetic engineering can already be seen in many aspects of life (Moody). It has especially made a huge impact on this food industry in the form of genetically modified crops. Despite only being around for the last ten years, genetically engineered crops account for more than two-thirds of all crops in the United States. This includes 60% of cotton crops, 63% of soybeans, and over 65% of corn (Moody). These numbers are staggering considering the time they have been around, and the sparse research done on their effects."
Abstract This paper examines the validity of both the arguments for and against stem cell technology, based on Ronald Dworkin's ethical writings on "The Sanctity of Life" and John Rawls? ?Theory of Justice.? It puts forward the argument that because of the potential for stem cell research to benefit millions of people, the ban on creating stem cells for research should be lifted and that the government should extend federal funding for this potentially life-saving research.
Outline
Overview of Stem Cell Technology
Arguments for Stem Cell Research
Argument Against Stem Cell Technology
Evaluating the Moral Arguments
Conclusion
From the Paper "Aside from regenerative medicine and curing disease, stem cell research also has the potential of helping humans better understand human developmental biology. This has several important implications regarding questions like the causes of premature birth, genetic diseases and infertility, to name a few. Many proponents of stem cell research argue that harvesting cells from embryos is ethical because an embryo is not a human being. Ethicists Helga Kuhnse and Peter Singer contend that early embryos do not have the mental capacity of a human being. As such, the rights of an insentient embryo should not be allowed to prevail over the rights of, for instance, a patient with Parkinson's Disease (Kuhnse and Singer 1990)."
Examines theories on the nature of science by Thomas Kuhn ("The Structure of Scientific Revolutions") and Karl R. Popper ("The Logic of Scientific Discovery").
1,025 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 3 sources, 2002, $ 39.95
Abstract In his book entitled "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions", Thomas Kuhn outlines how and why scientific revolutions occur. Karl R. Popper's book entitled "The Logic of Scientific Discovery" presents a methodological structure for scientific inquiry. In many ways, Kuhn selected Popper's proposed methodological structure as a foil for his arguments about the nature of science. But given careful consideration, it would appear their interpretations of science might not have been that far apart. This paper will critically discuss the previous assertion, while paying attention to possible differences and similarities.
Abstract This paper will discuss why shark attack human beings and how they hunt in the environment that they live in. By analyzing the behavior of sharks, we can see that most attacks on human beings are mistakenly made for seals or other marine life that sharks prefer to eat. The fact that sharks may not even like the taste of human flesh is the framework in realizing that sharks are not the vicious killers that people think they are. Sharks do not attack people for pleasure, or even for food, but are mistaken identities for marine life and/or weather conditions that sharks do prefer to hunt in their environments.
Abstract This paper studies Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, which contends that throughout history, human society has been like a jungle where only the fittest survived. It looks at the origins, its applications, and weaknesses in the theory. The paper goes on to discuss the impact Social Darwinism had on American society in terms of perceptions held regarding poverty and inequality.
From the Paper "Social Darwinism was used to justify several actions of questionable ethics in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. For example, Colonialism was supported or even considered necessary by the Social Darwinist. It was rationalized that natives of colonized countries were weaker and unfit to survive; therefore the Colonialists were justified in seizing their land and resources. Social Darwinism also provided a justification for the more exploitative forms of capitalism in which workers were grossly underpaid and made to work in the most horrid conditions. "
Abstract The debate over the issue of nature vs. nurture is an intense issue that carries strong points on either side of the argument. The nature school of thought emphasizes the role of instinct, patterns, and the influence of evolution on behavior. The nurture school of thought argues that behavior is learned, modifiable due to experience, and not, at least by humans, constrained by evolutionary history. This paper touches on the points of each aspect of this debate, examines new developments in research, and mentions how nature and nurture can interact.
From the Paper "Even the most diehard geneticists acknowledge that the environment plays a major role in shaping our behavior, temperament, and intelligence. With so much attention on explaining behavior in terms either of nature or nurture, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco recently described a fascinating example of how heredity and environment can interact. Perfect pitch is the ability to recognize the absolute pitch of a musical tone without any reference note. People with perfect pitch often have relatives with the same gift, and recent studies show that perfect pitch is a highly inherited trait, quite possibly the result of a single gene. But the studies also demonstrate a requirement for early musical training (before age six) in order to manifest perfect pitch. Time will tell whether there is a "perfect pitch" gene, but it seems reasonable to think that many personality and behavioral traits will not be exclusively the province of nature or nurture, but rather an inextricable combination of both."
Abstract This paper discusses that diabetes is a chronic illness that favors no single age group or single sex. The writer notes that there are several kinds of diabetes, called Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. The writer points out that the body of a person who has diabetes does not process sugars for their use as energy. Further, the writer mentions that the cause of diabetes is not known, although obesity and a sedentary life style may play some part. This paper examines some of the symptoms and treatment of diabetes.
From the Paper "Diabetes is a chronic illness that favors no single age group or single sex. There are several kinds of diabetes, called Type 1 diabetes (also known as Juvenile diabetes) and Type 2 diabetes (also known as Adult-Onset diabetes), and gestational diabetes. The body of a person who has diabetes does not process sugars for their use as energy. The cause of diabetes is not known, although obesity and a sedentary life style may play some part. Type 1 diabetes is most common in children and adolescents. It results when the body fails to produce the insulin it needs to process glucose. It is characterized by hyper- and hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis, and celiac disease. Complications include heart disease, blindness, and nerve and kidney damage. Type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of diabetes."
Abstract The different types of stem cell research involve the use of human eggs - and embryos - as intermediates and are at the center of controversy as to whether it should be considered human life. Recent advances are attempting to produce non-embryonic stem cells as well as address the said issue. This paper discusses the nature of stem cells, what they are, how they are produced and the issues surrounding them.
From the Paper "Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to develop and proliferate into more specialized cells such as neurons or skin cells. These specialized somatic cells comprise the different tissues and organs of the human body. The cloning process currently in use involves the use of the cellular machinery of an egg cell and the genetic material encoded in the nucleus of a somatic cell called somatic cell nuclear transplant (SCNT). First, the egg cell is secured to stabilize it. A needle is inserted into the egg to extract the nucleus and DNA."
A brief summary of genetics, which is the scientific study of how physical, biochemical, and behavioral traits are transmitted from parents to their offspring.
1,080 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 6 sources, 1998, $ 37.95
From the Paper "Genetics is a scientific study of how physical, biochemical, and behavioral traits are transmitted from parents to their offspring. The word itself was coined in 1906 by the British biologist William Bateson. Geneticists are able to determine the mechanisms of inheritance because the offspring of sexually reproducing organisms do not exactly resemble their parents, and because some of the differences and similarities between parents and offspring recur from generation to generation in repeated patterns. The investigation of these patterns has led to some of the most exciting discoveries in modern biology."
