Abstract This paper examines the controversial issue of withholding medical care and nutrition from a patient with a terminal illness or on life support. There have been several cases which have reached the high courts recently in which this matter is being argued. This paper explores which body has the right to decide if this treatment should be stopped - the medical facility, the family members or the court.
From the Paper "What care is 'futile'? Throughout the years, the question of whether or not to withhold certain treatments to terminally ill patients has been addressed. Do we continue to treat people who are still alive, even if we know that there is no hope? This is a question that has been asked over and over again by various parties. This notion is an ethical dilemma because it involves the notion of ending a life by witholding medical attention. Some religious groups feel that patients should be treated at all costs up until the end, while other people disagree with the notion and say this is immoral; these people have such a low quality of life, they should be relieved of their pain and suffering as fast as possible. Much like abortion, another ethical dilemma, it is difficult to say which side is right or wrong. Hence, an analysis into the situation must be consiered."
Abstract Analysis of the play focusing on the character of the old man, and scholars in Dr. Faustus, and how they can be compared to saints and holy figures. Looks at the themes of redemption, eternal life and instant gratification and how these are connected to the character of Dr Faustus.
From the Paper "In Christopher Marlowe's play ?Dr. Faustus,? the reader or viewer is treated to a strange sight early on in the play. The central character, the scholar Dr. Faustus, is subjected to the cartoon-like debate of two characters upon his shoulders, that of a good angel and a bad angel. The good angel states that it is ?never too late if Faustus will repent.? The angel means if the Doctor repents of his evil decision to turn from God and make a deal with the devil for conjuring powers, he can still be saved. (2.1.82) However, the bad angel on Dr. Faustus? shoulder soon responds that it is too late, ?If thou repent devils will tear thee in pieces.? (2.1.83-83) This debate highlights the very clear dichotomy between good and evil set up quite early on in the moral economy of the play. However, as the play progresses these highly schematic characters begin to retreat in their importance, and instead the characters of the scholars of Wittenberg where Dr. Faustus dwells and a mysterious old man becomes more prominent in Faustus? conscience. Marlowe does not do this to make the drama seem either more realistic, as the language "Dr. Faustus" is quite heightened and surreal. Nor does the author do this to make the representations of good and evil seem more human, as most of even the human characters in the play are quite broadly drawn. Rather, Marlowe does this to suggest the nature of Dr. Faustus? dilemma."
Abstract This paper looks into the phenomenon of a nurse's conflict when faced with the decision whether to follow a doctor's orders and in doing so, to go against the best interest of the patient. It discusses that nurses are often faced with dilemnas of whether or not to act for their establishment or the patient.
From the Paper "Persons who choose nursing as a profession do so because they have a deep sense that they want to help others. Most do not do it because of pay incentives. Those who choose nursing for that reason are soon disillusioned by the long hours, physical and mental fatigue that go along with it. People choose nursing because they have a need to help those in need. When they become nurses however, the role that they play is often defined by a large, bureaucratic system and they sometimes find that they must choose between their sense of doing what is right for the patient and conforming to the rules of the system."
This essay discusses the ethical dilemna that the abortion issue presents using the arguments of three philosophers, Judith Jarvis-Thompson, Mary Anne Warren and Don Marquis to analytically discuss and debate each of their individual positions.
Abstract Examined here is the seemingly intractable debate that has garnered much debate and philosophical discourse. Is abortion unethical? If so, on what grounds? Does a fetus have an unquestionable right to life? The arguments of three philosphers, Thompson, Warren, and Marquis attempt to construe argument devoid of appeal to religious sources. Actual logical arguments are put forth and then dissected by the author. Instruction of Informal fallacies also included, as well as topics such as debate through analogies, Criteria of Personhood, and Potentiality theories: FLO theory.
From the Paper "First let us begin with an argument derived from the article by Judith Jarvis-Thompson entitled, ?A Defense of Abortion.? She starts of with explaining the common pro-life argument, which relies heavily on the premise that a fetus is a human being and a person at the moment of conception. While examining the continuous expectancy that the fetus constantly develops into a child, she from this judges that to draw a line of personhood from this point or another is to exemplify the argument with an arbitrary carelessness. She makes no attempt to refute a fetus as a person or otherwise. To do so she deems as participation in a ?slippery-slope argument.? Thompson acknowledges that the fetus is a human well before it's birth, for it would be biologically unsound to state otherwise. Based on her take of the anti-abortionist's argument an acorn (a potential oak tree) would be viewed in the same way as an Oak tree is, even though that this is an incorrect and rather crude observation. From this basis, she says on cannot make a good examination until a better counter-argument is examined and then she says we will have more sufficient grounds on which to reject it or not."
Abstract The paper discusses how during our professional careers we often encounter difficult ethical situations. Often, these professional dilemmas involve a careful consideration of not only pertinent professional ethics, but a weighing of personal moral values. This study presents the ethical dilemma faced after encountering suspected drug use by a fellow employee. It shows how this is a common and complex, professional dilemma that requires the careful consideration of the consequences of several divergent courses of action. The paper uses a personal scenario to illustrate the dilemnas faced by a worker.
From the Paper "Personal morals are built on a very different basis than professional ethics. Personal morals are often built on religious faith. Family values play an important role in our personal ethics and value systems. We learn a great deal about ethics from the behaviors of our immediate and extended families. Personal experiences also do a great deal to define our personal values. For example, it is often said that a conservative is simply someone who has never been robbed, while a liberal is someone who has never had anything stolen. Simply put, this means that our experiences with other individuals, whether good or bad, often shape our personal value systems. Finally, personal values are also steeped deeply in the personality of the individual. Personalities can be seen as falling somewhere on the continuum from selfish to truly altruistic (University of Waterloo)."
Abstract This paper examines the questions and objections raised by those opposed to the cloning of human beings. It discusses the fact that science is "incomplete" and therefore unable to predict the outcome of cloned humans. It also examines the ethical questions surrounding the topic, including the fact that the souls of cloned humans cannot be copied, only their physical and genetic make-up. Finally, the paper argues that before science attempts to clone humans, it should come up with the answers to the many religious, ethical and moral dilemnas pertaining to the subject.
From the Paper "Another important question to ask is what kind of relationship would the clone have with the donor who is supposed to be acting like a parent? This is not a very good argument. Confidentiality would keep anyone but the parents and the doctors from knowing that the child is a clone. As stated earlier, the parent whom the child was cloned from and the child would not necessarily look alike, at least not any more alike than a child can normally look like a parent, and they would not necessarily act alike. The womb environment and the environment within the first couple of years after birth has such a huge affect on us, that the child may never know he/she was a clone, and, if cloning were perfected, no one would even ever suspect that the child was a clone."
Abstract This paper presents an examination of gay marriages. The writer explores the history of the topic and presents many perspectives on the issue. Cites case studies. It presents opinions by the Church, laws which control the practice and moral dilemnas. The writer also addresses recent developments regarding gay marriages and then concludes with suggestions for the future.
From the Paper "The current worldwide globalization process is teaching mankind tolerance. There is tolerance of the traditions, cultures and beliefs of others that have not been experienced before. This tolerance seems to have spurred tolerance in all areas of life where there was very little in the past. The tolerance of homosexual preferences is more accepted now than it has been since the inception of the nation."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the two novels and discusses the way in which the theme of identity has been used in both. It shows how identity plays a crucial role in both these novels, but in far different ways. It links the personal identity of the authors to the characters and shows that their dilemnas and searches for their true indentities were similar to the characters.
From the Paper "Chang-rae Lee was born in Korea, but his family moved to New York City when he was only three years old. His father is a successful psychiatrist, so the family always prospered, and lived in well-to-do neighborhoods, but his mother never really learned to speak English. His first book, "Native Speaker," received the PEN/Hemingway Award for Best First Fiction and the 1995 Discover Award. In addition, the literary journal "Granta" called Lee one of the fifty best American writers under the age of forty (Kich 176)."
