David Ahlman
Taking Sides: “Should Embryonic Stem Cell Research Be Permitted?”
Human Biology (10 AM to 11:15 AM on Tues. and Thurs.)
Fall Semester
1. What is the major thesis, or point, of the Yes side?
Professor Jeffery Hart seeks to make Stem Cell Research more accepted in order to
provide major breakthroughs in modern medicine.
2. What is the major thesis, or point, of the No side?
The writer, Ramesh Ponnuru, believes aborting fertilized eggs to use them for Stem Cell
Research is murdering a growing human being.
3. Two facts presented by the Yes side:
There are, currently, no laws against Embryonic Stem Cell Research.
Stem Cells require, in order to grow and develop, a fertilized, zygotic cell.
4. Two facts presented by the No side:
At the time the argument was written, President Bush, the majority of the house of
representative, and the majority of Americans were against the use of Stem Cell
Research.
The use of Embryonic Stem Cells is a religious, moral/ethical issue which, like GayMarriage, has caused a lot of controversial debate amongst Americans and politicans.
5. Two opinions of the Yes side:
Professor Hart only uses American laws as proof of his opinion that "fertilized eggs" are
not "human beings."
He also said that human embryos are destroyed naturally by in vitro fertilization, which
has become a common medical practice used to help people, unable to bare children
naturally, have children.
6. Two opinions of the No side:
Ramesh Ponnuru thinks the banning of government funding will stop Stem Cell Research
completely.
He also believes that performing a moratorium on cloning would be a great
solution/compromise between those for and against Stem Cell Research.
7. Identify a fallacy, or a misleading statement, on the Yes side.
Professor Hart suggests that in vitro is as common occurrence. While compared to
fertilized cells aborted willing by mothers in America and especially China, they are not
common occurrences.
8. Identify a fallacy, or a misleading statement, on the No side.
Ramesh Ponnuru thinks the banning of government funding will stop the unethical Stem
Cell Research in America all together while failing to realize how such limitations lead to
broken laws in order to obtain what people in the community, as a whole, need to
enhance human life. (For example: Prohibition, in the 1900’s, was outlawed because of
its negative effects on the public. Later, it was re-legalized because the majority of the
public preferred to drink alcohol in hiding and regulating the illegal use of alcohol among
Americans was becoming too hard to manage.)
9. Which side (Yes or No) do you personally feel is most correct now that you have
reviewed the material in these articles? Why?
Morally, I feel I have to agree with Mr. Ponnuru that using fertilized eggs can be seen as
“murder” since it’s such a similar controversy with abortion-which I am against. Yet,
logically, I feel Mr. Hart made a valid point that the study of Embryonic Stem Cells can
save lives through the production of vital organs and limbs which can be implanted into a
person’s body. After much thought I believe abortion and Stem Cell Research are two
different things-abortion is an act that simply takes a life, while Stem Cell Research is
used stop the growth a zygote’s life in order to provide necessary materials to save
another’s life.
10. Overall, which author impressed you as being the most empirical in presenting his or her
thesis? (That is, which author appeared to rely most on scientific findings, as opposed to
unsupported statements?)
Ramesh Ponnuru brought up some good points to support his stance against the use of
Stem Cells; however, almost all of his material was based off “belief” and not supported
by scientific reasoning. Professor Jeff Hart seemed to have the strongest scientific
support in his argument, therefore, sharing a greater resource of proven theories on why
Embryonic Stem Cell Research is beneficial for the human population.
11. For the author that you think relied more on unsupported statements and less on scientific
findings, (that is, the less empirical author) please describe a possible reason for why they
may be biased in their opinion.
Since Jeffery Hart is a professor, and has spent his career’s work in this specific are of study, it is,
therefore, easy to recognize that his opinion is strictly based off scientific facts with no thought
taken for possible immoral repercussions and public opinion, thus making him slightly biased;
sharing more facts and findings then personal feelings on the matter, and negative opinions of the
people who are against his findings and facts rather than insight on bridging the gap between both
sides of the argument.