Genetics - General Resources
The Tech:
Excellent resource. Some good background information on Genetics and Genetics research. Also includes
some handling of ethics and some great video interviews. Of interest to you will also be the "In the News"
section. Good material for research essay and debates.
NOVA video: Cracking The Code of Life (about two hours).
An excellent introduction to the genome project.
Encyclopedia.com:
An excellent primer on genetic engineering and some of the issues.
Bioethics.com:
Various articles on Genetics Ethics.
NOVA video: Super short version of the above video.
Below you will find some on-line debates that you might use as ideas for argument points and counter points that
can help you think through your arguments for essay and debate. You may not quote any of these arguments
unless you quote the specific sources found in the bibliographies in each debate. These debates will be signified
by a blue arrow.
Genetics - More Specific Resources:
Animal Testing
Gene Therapy and Genetic Engineering
Debate on Animal Testing
Ethical Issues in Genetic Engineering and Transgenics,
by Linda MacDonald Glenn
Debate on Animal Testing
NOVA video: Cracking Your Genetic Code (about an hour).
Debate on Designer Dogs
Debate on Animal Testing
Cloning
Enotes.com article includes general issues of genetic
engineering and some specific arguments regarding GM
Foods, Human Genetics. Click on Table of Contents on
the left to view the full article.
iDebate.org provides an excellent, user-developed set
of argument points and counter points that can help you
think through your arguments for essay and
debate. You may not quote any of these arguments
unless you quote the specific sources found in
the bibliography at the bottom.
Debate on Cloning
Debate on Human Cloning
iDebate.org provides an excellent, user-developed set of
argument points and counter points that can help you
think through your arguments for essay and debate. You
may not quote any of these arguments unless you quote
the specific sources found in the bibliography at the
bottom.
Debate on Genetic Enhancement for Well-being
Debate on Gene Therapy
Debate on Genetic Experimentation
Debate on Biotechnology and Bioengineering
Debate on the Cause of Mental Illness: Society or
Genetics
Debate on Genetic Engineering of Humans
Debate on Genetically Engineering Humans for War
Debate on Human Cloning
http://dbp.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Ban_on_
human_reproductive_cloning
Crime
Genetics and Criminology - A piece by graduate student,
Jeremy W. Wilson. Does Genetics give clues regarding
whether a person will be a criminal?
Designer Babies
Enotes.com article includes general issues of genetic
engineering and some specific arguments regarding GM
Foods, Human Genetics. Click on Table of Contents on
the left to view the full article.
Video Healthier Humans or Designer Babies
Article on Pros and Cons of Designed Babies
Science 9 Textbook p. 224-230
Debate on Genetic Engineering
Morality and Ethics
A list of some of the issues of Morality in Genetic
Engineering.
Lawrence Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development:
1. About.com - the Heinz Dilemma
2.
Excerpt from W.C.Crain, book, "Theories of
Development" (Chapter Seven) for a more
detailed view.
3.
Wikepedia version is as detailed as the Crain book
version. Some language a bit tougher.
Ethical issues in predictive genetic testing: a public
health perspective K G Fulda and K Lykens
Provides examples of implications of genetic testing with
regard to discrimination and other factors. Excellent.
Also includes a section on two moral theories to
consider: Utilitarian and Libertarian
Debate on Morality of Eugenics
Debate on Is Morality Objective
Genetically Modified Foods
Debate on Is There a Moral Standard
Stem Cells
The Debate Over Genetically Modified Foods, by Kerryn
Sakko
NOVA Video on new breakthroughs. Do we need human
embryos to obtain stem cells?
Enotes.com article includes general issues of genetic
Nature VS Nurture
engineering and some specific arguments regarding GM
Foods, Human Genetics. Click on Table of Contents on
Crash Course: A great video that gives you are reminder
the left to view the full article.
of how heredity works.
This very large topic will require your own research. Be
aware of the organizations which develop the sites you
visit.
iDebate.org provides an excellent, user-developed set
of argument points and counter points that can help you
think through your arguments for essay and
debate. You may not quote any of these arguments
unless you quote the specific sources found in
the bibliography at the bottom.
PBS resource. Excellent. Includes interactive
simulations. Here is the Teacher Domain version with
additional material.
Debate on Genetically Modified Food
About.com provides a bit of a "milktoast" version for
basic information about the debate. There are two pages.
The Chronical provides in-depth discussion. The language
is difficult but navigable.
Genetics and Criminology - A piece by graduate student,
Jeremy W. Wilson. Does Genetics give clues regarding
whether a person will be a criminal?
Debate on Nature vs Nurture
Debate on Nature vs Nurture
Debate on Nature vs Nurture
Gene Doping
How stuff works on Gene Doping
Gene Doping - - this 22 minute audio Quirks and
Quarks discusses the frightening possibility that gene
therapy may someday be used by athletes to "improve"
their bodies to cheat in sport.
Debate on Nature vs Nurture
Debate on the Genetics of IQ
Debate on Whether Beliefs are Inherited
You Tube Video Lecture (Found by Robert L)
Ethical Issues in Genetic Engineering and Transgenics,
by Linda MacDonald Glenn
Stem Cell Research For treatment of
Diseases and Therapeutic Cloning
Genetic Testing
Science 9 textbook pgs 177 and 178
What is Gene Testing and how does it work?
Ethical issues in predictive genetic testing: a public
health perspective K G Fulda and K Lykens
Provides examples of implications of genetic testing
with regard to discrimination and other
factors. Excellent.
When What We Know Outstrips What We Can Do, By
Margaret R. Mclean.
NOVA video: Cracking Your Genetic Code
Another iDebate.org debate. This one discusses the issue
of parents choosing the sex of their children.
iDebate.org provides an excellent, user-developed set of
argument points and counter points that can help you
think through your arguments for essay and debate. You
may not quote any of these arguments unless you quote
the specific sources found in the bibliography at the
bottom.
Some recommended reads on various controversies in genetics
https://sandycasanova.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/genetic-engineering-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly/
http://www.macalester.edu/~montgomery/GMOs.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/cig/biology/dna-technology-applications.html
https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/ge/ge_vs_organic.php Genetically Engineered Foods
https://curiosity.com/playlists/controversial-genetic-experiments-AbLT4rYW/#intro-playlist
http://www.nature.com/scitable/topic/genetics-and-society-11
http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/08/12/infographic-9-plant-diseases-that-threaten-your-favorite-foods-andhow-gm-can-help/
Articles Regarding Controversies in Biology
I judged Women Using IVF Until I Had Trouble Conceiving (Time Magazine; March 24, 2015)
Gordie Howe’s Stem Cell Therapy Raises concerns among experts (Scientific American or Macleans, Jan. 29 , 2015)
Rewinding the Biological Clock (Oct. 16, 2013) - fixing old eggs with stem cells
Genetically engineered non-browning apples (Macleans)
Today’s Newsmaker: Rachel Parent (Macleans)
Is Health Canada Doing Enough to Keep Our Food Healthy and Safe? By Rachel Parent (Huffingtonpost.ca Mar. 9, 2015)
The Ethics of ‘Designer Babies’ (March 14, 2014-Huggingtonpost) Should We Design Our Babies? (video)
Greenpeace…. Those who produce our food suffer the most… Blogpost by Kristen Thompson 12 May 2015
Anti-Genetic Engineering Activism: Why the Bastards Never Quit (realclearpolitics.com)