The Morality of Animal Testing Essay Example for Free

The Morality of Animal Testing Essay Animal testing is undoubtedly one of the most controversial issues in modern society. This practice began in the 19th century; animals were used to test dosing of certain drugs and chemicals. In the 1920’s, animals were also being used to test pesticides and food additives (Fano, 11). Today, animal testing is used to study everything from cosmetics to cancer. With such a wide range of opinions on animal rights and human priority, it is no wonder that this topic is so controversial. There are people who have an extreme view on the issue and are either completely pro or completely con. In my opinion, the issue of animal testing is far too complex for one simple answer; its morality lies somewhere in between the two poles. Animal testing is acceptable if it results in saving people’s lives. It is not acceptable, however, if it results in personal or cosmetic products that are far from vital to the human race. Those who are in favor of animal testing justify it many different ways. Thomas Hamm, a toxicologist and veterinarian, argues that, â€Å"We can’t protect the environment, or people in general, without doing some animal testing. If you’re pro-environment but opposed to animal testing, you’re on shaky ground, because the two positions just aren’t compatible with each other† (Fano, 44). In order to have a safe and successful society, he argues, we must use animals to test chemicals, drugs, treatments, and anything else that will further our knowledge of improving the world, at least for humans. Many people are of the same mind as Hamm. Animal testing reduces the risks of many products, like cosmetics and medication, among many others. Scientists can put safety standards in place for products based on their findings via animal testing. Often, animals will react badly or even die from certain chemicals or combinations, make the humans that use the products far safer. But the most important argument of those in favor of anima l testing is its reliability and comprehensiveness. By using another living being, it is much easier to understand the effects of a drug or chemical on the body and assess its risks. Another positive aspect of animal testing is its convenience. Rodents are the most common test subjects in laboratories. Mice in particular have a relatively short lifespan. This allows scientists to observe a single organism’s life in its entirety in a reasonable time. You could see how a drug, when taken as a baby or adolescent would affect the animal later on in its life. Because many test subjects are bred specifically for the testing purpose, Scientists are able to manipulate, observe, and control every aspect of that animal’s life. This reduces the risk of other variables affecting the outcome of the experiment, making it more accurate. A researcher would know the animal’s entire medical history, which would be necessary in understanding the outcome of several different experiments. Scientists are allowed to kill these animals after the experiment is completed, allowing them to look at how the drug or chemical affected the animal’s entire body system , instead of just its visible affects. For instance, a researcher might observe a given vaccine to have been safe on the mouse, as it was healthy and lived a long life, even though it could have had a hidden negative effect only visible inside its body (Fano, 45). However, the opposition has equally strong and numerous arguments against animal testing. A very popular argument for those against animal testing is its inaccuracy. While it is true animal testing allows you to observe the effects of a drug on an entire body system, some argue that people and the animals used in testing are just too different (Blue). A drug’s safety for a mouse or rabbit cannot ensure safety for humans, who are genetically and biologically much different. This argument has obvious validity; dog owners consider it common knowledge that dogs cannot eat chocolate for safety reasons, and humans in general clearly have no health problems with chocolate. The same could be argued for various medications and products. The main arguments for those who are anti-animal testing is simple: it is inhumane. As an animal lover, some of the research I did included testimonies and photographs that were completely horrifying. Some animals had tufts of fur missing, obvious infections, and missing body parts, like arms and eyeballs. The basic assumption behind animal testing is that animals are lesser than humans (Hayhurst, 10). Those opposed to animal testing have conflicting beliefs and think that, â€Å"other animals have the same rights to life that human animals have† (Hayhurst, 10). Many people, myself included, have opinions somewhere in between these two extremes (Hayhurst, 11). Using animals as test subjects is not so black and white; there are many grey areas. Animals should have the right to live, but not to the same degree as the human species. As awful as it sounds, we view this idea at work everyday. Killing a person obviously has more serious consequences that killing an animal. Animals’ lives are simply not as valued as those of humans. So if the result of using animals as test subjects is a cure for a deadly disease that affects the human race, like cancer, many people believe this is a justified act. In other words, it is acceptable to kill animals if it helps save people’s lives. If animals were used as test subjects for just these types of purposes, it is likely that the animal rights debate would not be nearly as controversial. But the problem is that animal testing is used for much less necessary purposes. Countless cosmetic companies use animals to test their products, such as eye shadow, shampoo, and contact lens solution (Hayhurst, 10). These products are not even coming close to saving people’s lives, yet animals often suffer and die for their production. Many cosmetic companies have either stopped or never started using animals as test subjects. The European Union banned animal testing on personal cosmetic products and the import of products that do use animals. So it is clear that producing these types of products without using animal testing is possible, as many companies do it. However, other companies continue to make animals suffer and often die in the production process (Ellin). The animal rights debate has a long history and has no end in sight. Everyone has a different opinion about the morality of using animals as test subjects. Some are pro, some are con, and some are in between. Those in between believe the purpose of the tests determine its moral rightness or wrongness. To put it simply, it just depends on the situation. If animals must suffer or even die in order to save a human life, then it is justified. But making even one animal suffer to produce unnecessary products, as discussed earlier, is completely immoral and should be brought to an end. Because animal testing encompasses many touchy topics, like an animal’s right to life and the differing importance of animal and human life, people will continue to debate it until there is an alternative that is equal parts ethical, useful, accurate, and convenient. Work Cited: * Hayhurst, Chris. Animal Testing: The Animal Rights Debate. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2000. print. * Fano, Alex. Lethal Laws: Animal Testing, Human Health, and Environmental Policy. New York: Zed Books Ltd., 1997. print. * Balls, Michael. â€Å"Alternatives to Animal Testing: Toward Reducing Uncertainty and Unintended Consequences.† AATEX 16.3 (2011): 101-110 * Blue, Laura. â€Å"How Much Does Animal Testing Tell Us?† Time Magazine 17 June 2008. online. * Ellin, Abby. â€Å"Leaving Animals Out of the Cosmetics Picture.† New York Times 28 December 2011. online.

The Power Of Words In Influencing Attitudes

The Power Of Words In Influencing Attitudes To recognize how words have the power to create and affect attitudes, behavior, and perception one must first understand their own conscience and belief system. Words have meaning, but no power unless the perceived mental state of an individual gives power to the words spoken that have been heard. In another essay I authored in another class, which is most appropriate for this updated essay on the aspects of communication recognizing how words have the power to create and affect attitudes, behavior, and perception. The conscience is that inner voice that everyone has inside themselves. The voice inside has a set of critical thinking rules that are determined through a persons life experiences. Most people think about what they plan to do before they do it. People also respond to what other people say and do. It is the amount of power given to the words spoken that are perceived in the mental state of an individual that gives the power to the words spoken that have been heard acting o ut a plan that determines success or failure, even in communications. Our morals and values are the driving force behind our beliefs and how much power we give to another individuals words that are heard. If a person believes it is alright to steal to take care of their family, then the way they believe is the way they think resulting in the behaviors produced in that particular lifestyle. Example, lets say that there is a discussion between two people about, is it alright to steal? Our personal ethics that are perceived in how we as a people co-exist and communicate with each other stem from how we believe. This discussion is debated for whatever time frame and the one who thinks it is alright to steal convinces the other it is alright to steal as well. This is where words become powerful and perceptions are distorted. There are people in this world that would freely say things giving their life for another with no limitations on how to give positive feed back using words. There also people that go out of their way to say nice things at all costs knowing that words can hurt an individuals feelings. Then there are conditional communicators that will not say a particular word or words unless there is an exchange of a mutual agreement that has been reached so as not to offend any party involved. Most people believe there must be an exchange of some sort where both parties equally receive as much as that is given. There also are people in this world that would die to just prove a point in what they say they believe in. What defines a person is in their actions and their actions are brought about through choice in how they perceive reality. Is it justifiable to perform an evil act in order to achieve good consequences? This question has been used for centuries. As stated by Ruggiero (2008), humans have the capacity to choose how they respond to events (p. 118). For example, say someone makes a choice with a plan of action, but the plan devised was driven by negative emotions to where someone instigated controversy between individuals like the use of angry words, etc. Then the out come of this plan may have negative consequences that could change the course of a persons decision or lifestyle. This also applies to relationships with friends or family or both.The Boston Tea Party is an historical example of an evil act that changed history with many speculated communications between groups of people. There are several acts from Americas history that brought freedom when groups of people thought an evil act was evil and another thought not. New York city was built on such acts of evil tyranny and blood shed. The price for f reedom is Death. Life is full of choices, but which choice is the right one? People have contemplated this concept of choice for centuries. Negativity is a sad, but a real factor in society which is ever changing as each day passes by. Stealing has gone on for centuries and people have used words to justify their behaviors convincing others to believe the same way as themselves through communication. Survival is the driving force behind this sad fact. Thievery has not discriminated against race, religion or social status. Thievery has even in some circles been classified as an addiction or disease. Kleptomania is just one clinical term for such a behavior. .Kleptomania, the guilt-ridden, impulsive need of a impulsive urge to steal, commonly without any regard for the need or profit of unneeded items.. (Kleptomania, 2004, October, Biotech Business Week, 235). Pathological liars are another example of poor communicators that try to influence other to give power to their fantastic stories. Here is a good example of a person that exaggerates things that are ridiculous. If your employer asked you what time you arrived to work and your shift time started at 7:30 am. and you knew that you were late and said you arrived late because your dog ate up the couch and started at small fire in the living room, with no factual evidence to back it up, that would be a pathological lair. These people just lie, even when there is no good reason to do so not caring to gain anything and fearing nothing to lose, exaggerating the things that are ridiculous. This is due to some type of deeper mental and emotional state of a person which the individual is seeki ng attention. This type of mental illness should not be misconstrued with sociopaths, psychopaths and so on, who lie to gain a reward or benefit. A sociopath is a person who is affected with a disorder of their personality which is marked by antisocial behavior. A psychopath is a person with an antisocial personality disorder that is manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal, or abnormal behavior without empathy or remorse. (Oxford Dictionary) The voice that all people hear is their conscience. Our conscience is what we humans use prior to making decisions or in what we would say to anyone in this world may it be good or bad. Our environment does play a part in perceiving how we humans think and how we speak. For example, if a child sees mom or dad do wrong and gets away with it then the child will comprehend that it is acceptable to behave as mom or dad. If mom or dad curse all the time then the child will perceive it is alright to say the F word, etc.. There are many other ways to steal from people even if it is not material. Example, say an employee takes a scheduled break every day for 15 minutes. This employee is a great worker, but everyday this guy uses 21 minutes on his break. That is 6 minutes every day that is unauthorized. Then at lunch time he does the same thing. That is another 6 minutes unauthorized. That is 12 minutes a day, 60 minutes per week in a 40 hour work week. This person just stole an hour worth of wages from his boss. Wouldnt you agree to this line of thinking? Whenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.not providing adequate adjustment to the environment or situation with a difference in condition, amount, or level, typically with certain limits..However, some kinds of proposed beliefs are weakly affected by a evolved particular attitude, or act in a particular way that can have strong effects on behavior. (Peter J. Richerson, Robert Boyd revised 8 July 1987). As stated above referring to effects on behavior (Peter J. Richerson, Robert Boyd revised 8 July 1987) perception is everything. This is a strong secular view of choices based on how one believes in cultural ethics. When a person is raised in an environment that perceives that destructive harmful behavior is the answer to solving problems the ethical view perceived is misappropriated morals and values. These views that are instilled in early childhood influences conscience decision making adaptive skills that create negative social issues throughout their whole adult life. Perception is tainted by a persons attitude. A persons attitude is the result of their perceptions. Two people with different perceptions look at the same thing and thus think about it differently, and end up with different attitudes. Both think they are right. This same concept applies to communications. Example, Lets line up ten people and tell the first one a phrase by whispering it in their ear. Then tell the first person to repeat the exact phrase whispering to the next person and the next person is to do the same thing and so on. By the time the phrase reaches the tenth person you ask the tenth person to write down exactly what was said. Statistic show that this phrase that was spoken will be distorted in some shape or fashion. The meaning will change too, 9 out of 10 times. The Army is probably the largest and most diverse organization in the country with an ethnic and racial makeup which mostly reflect over half of American society. Each individual brings a set of values and attitudes that have been cultivated over many years. Additionally, these values and attitudes are still being shaped and refined with each new experience. Many types of people have strong memories about recent events in their lives, such as promotion, schooling, a new baby, or a transfer etc.. These events and ones yet to come, serve to shape a persons values and attitude for the future. However, values and attitudes do not automatically change just because someone puts on an uniform or gains a new job. Some values and attitudes, are coupled with a lack of awareness, or insensitivity about others that are different from ourselves which can produce confrontations, anger issues, and even violence. It is imperative all of society working or not, recognize and manage their differences so they do not interfere with someone elses effectiveness or their ability to communicate. Values are attitudes about the worth or importance of people, concepts, or things. Values influence our behavior because we use them to decide between alternatives. Values, attitudes, behaviors and beliefs are cornerstones of who we are and how we do things. They form the basis of how we see ourselves as individuals, how we speak, how we see others, and how we interpret the world in general. Your values will influence your priorities. Strong values are what most people put first, defend most, and want least to sacrifice. Individual values can and will conflict at times. Example: If you incorrectly reported a car accident, do you have the moral courage to correct the original statement given even if you know the authorities will never discover what you said? In this situation, your values on truth and self-interest will collide. What you value the most will guide your actions. In this example, the proper course of action is obvious. There are times, however, when the right course of action is not so clear.

Pygmalion :: essays research papers

Shaw’s play "Pygmalion" and the movie "Born Yesterday" both explore many of the same issues and characteristics. They are similar because they both portray that what other people think should not matter as much as what you think of yourself but, what show yourself to be is how people will think and view of you. This is shown by similarities between the characters Billie and Eliza and the combined attitudes of Harry and Paul to Henry Higgins. They also both share the plot of taking someone who does not belong and changing them to belonging. Both pieces have quite similar themes. They both focus on the idea that the way you carry yourself and the way you speak shows to the outside world what type of person you are. They also explore that what you think of yourself should matter more then what others think of you. In "Born Yesterday" Billie, played by Melanie Griffith, is viewed by her intellectual level and not for her soul. When her intellect grew so did her self worth. In her growth of self worth she began to carry herself confidently. In exchange people treated her better. In "Pygmalion", Eliza is also judged on superficial matters. Even though Eliza did not have much class she still had some pride in herself that kept her strong. But unfortunately, Higgins did not pay attention to her words. He only paid attention to how she said them. He showed how he thought of her when he said, "It’s almost irresistible. She’s so deliciously low, so horribly dirty." [p 26] Higgins never once says what a nice woman Eliza is only how irritating her voice is. In both stories, there is also the sub-theme that the lead female is misplace by the changes that are thrust upon them. Billie feels less happiness about all her old favorite things when exposed to knowledge. Eliza realizes that the truthfulness of her old life when she is exposed to the superficial way of high society. This brings out the theme that ignorance is bliss and that we should not take anything we already have for granted. Eliza shows this point when she says, "I an a child in your country. I have forgotten my own language and can speak nothing but yours. That is the real break off with the corner of Tottenham court road." [page 94] The characters in "Born Yesterday" And "Pygmalion" are uncannily similar to one another.

The Great Gatsby: Unfaithfulness And Greed :: essays research papers

The Great Gatsby: Unfaithfulness and Greed The love described in the novel, The Great Gatsby, contains "violence and egoism not tenderness and affection." The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, writes on wealth, love, and corruption. Two coupes, Tom and Daisy Buchanan and George and Myrtle Wilson, match perfectly with these categories. Both couples are different in the way they choose to live together, but are similar in a few ways. Unfaithfulness and greed are the only similarities the couples shared. Tom, Daisy, and Myrtle were all unfaithful to their spouses. Their love for themselves far out-weighed their love for each other. Tom and Myrtle had a notorious affair throughout the novel while Daisy becomes very close to her ex- beloved, Jay Gatsby. Even with their new lovers, none of them displayed true love. Each wanted something from the other. Tom wanted the "possession" of Myrtle, Myrtle wanted Tom's "luxuries and wealth," and Daisy wanted Gatsby simply for his wealth. Both Tom and Daisy know of each other's affairs, but neither one truly cares. As the story progresses, it seems as though each of them is trying to make the other more jealous. Honesty and Love, two words know only by the faithful, George Wilson. George certainly had his flaws, but he loved his wife dearly and couldn't live without her. "He was his wife's man and not his own." When he became aware of Tom and Myrtle's affair, he was "really sick, pale as his own pale hair and shaking all over." He locks her up in fear that she will run away with Tom forever. He stated that, "She's going to move stay there until the day after tomorrow, and then we're going to move away." George thought that by moving out West, where Myrtle wanted to go in the beginning, would solve everything. Before the move could be made, Myrtle was killed; it is here where George's love is shown most. George becomes extemely upset after Myrtle's death. The Great Gatsby: Unfaithfulness And Greed :: essays research papers The Great Gatsby: Unfaithfulness and Greed The love described in the novel, The Great Gatsby, contains "violence and egoism not tenderness and affection." The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, writes on wealth, love, and corruption. Two coupes, Tom and Daisy Buchanan and George and Myrtle Wilson, match perfectly with these categories. Both couples are different in the way they choose to live together, but are similar in a few ways. Unfaithfulness and greed are the only similarities the couples shared. Tom, Daisy, and Myrtle were all unfaithful to their spouses. Their love for themselves far out-weighed their love for each other. Tom and Myrtle had a notorious affair throughout the novel while Daisy becomes very close to her ex- beloved, Jay Gatsby. Even with their new lovers, none of them displayed true love. Each wanted something from the other. Tom wanted the "possession" of Myrtle, Myrtle wanted Tom's "luxuries and wealth," and Daisy wanted Gatsby simply for his wealth. Both Tom and Daisy know of each other's affairs, but neither one truly cares. As the story progresses, it seems as though each of them is trying to make the other more jealous. Honesty and Love, two words know only by the faithful, George Wilson. George certainly had his flaws, but he loved his wife dearly and couldn't live without her. "He was his wife's man and not his own." When he became aware of Tom and Myrtle's affair, he was "really sick, pale as his own pale hair and shaking all over." He locks her up in fear that she will run away with Tom forever. He stated that, "She's going to move stay there until the day after tomorrow, and then we're going to move away." George thought that by moving out West, where Myrtle wanted to go in the beginning, would solve everything. Before the move could be made, Myrtle was killed; it is here where George's love is shown most. George becomes extemely upset after Myrtle's death.

Classical Management Theory Essay -- Classical Management Theories Ess

Classical Management Theory Early Management Theories Early Theories of Organizations emerged mainly for military and Catholic Church. The metaphor of the machine was dominant, where organizations are viewed as machines. Therefore, the organizational application was, since workers behave predictably (as machines do rarely deviate from the norm), management knows what to expect, and workers operating outside expectations are replaced. Classical Management Theories There are three well-established theories of classical management: Taylor?s Theory of Scientific Management, Fayol?s Administrative Theory, Weber?s Theory of Bureaucracy. Although these schools, or theories, developed historical sequence, later ideas have not replaced earlier ones. Instead, each new school has tended to complement or coexist with previous ones. Taylor?s Theory of Scientific Management, U.S.A Frederick Taylor (1856-1915) ?The Father of Scientific Management?. Scientific Management theory arose from the need to increase productivity in the U.S.A. especially, where skilled labor was in short supply at the beginning of the twentieth century. The only way to expand productivity was to raise the efficiency of workers. Taylor devised four principles for scientific management theory, which were: 1. The development of a true science of management, 2. The scientific selection and training of workers, 3. Proper remuneration for fast and high-quality work 4. Equal division of work and responsibility between worker and manager Limitations of The Theory of Scientific Management: Although it maximized efficiency and productivity but its main limitation was ignoring human aspects of employment. This is manifested in the following: ? Some workers and unions opposed this theory because they feared that working harder or faster would exhaust whatever work was available, causing layoffs. ? Objection to the "speed up" conditions that placed undue pressures on employees to perform at faster levels, some managers exploited both workers and customers. ? Reducing worker?s role to a rigid adherence to compulsory methods and procedures. ? The increased fragmentation of work due to its emphasis on divisional labor . ? Economically based approach to the motivation of employees . ? It put planning and control of workplace activities only in the hands of managers. ... ...Late 1980's: renewed interest in organizational climate and groups Late 1980's: rise of participatory management techniques known by such terms as Total Quality Management (TQM), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). 1986: first ruling by U.S. Supreme Court on subject of sexual harassment Late 1980's: work stress received increasing attention in I/O research, theory, and practice Balancing work and family lives received increasing attention. References: - Organisation and Management of Health Care, April 2002, Version 2.0 , Main Contributor: Katie Enock, Public Health Specialist, Harrow Primary Care Trust www.healthknowledge.org.uk - Henri Rayol Industrial and General Administration, J.A.Caubrough, trans.(Geneva International Management Institute, 1930) - http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/ryn/projects/inventors/taylor/taylor.html - http://www.survey-software-solutions.com/walonick/organizational-theory.htm - http://www.glass-time.com/gainsharing/Motivation.html - http://www.mtsu.edu/~pmccarth/io_hist.htm - http://home.eclions.net/mbobic/Version17.htm - http://www.lib.uwo.ca/business/fayol.html - http://www2.pfeiffer.edu/~lridener/DSS/Weber/WEBRPER.HTML Classical Management Theory Essay -- Classical Management Theories Ess Classical Management Theory Early Management Theories Early Theories of Organizations emerged mainly for military and Catholic Church. The metaphor of the machine was dominant, where organizations are viewed as machines. Therefore, the organizational application was, since workers behave predictably (as machines do rarely deviate from the norm), management knows what to expect, and workers operating outside expectations are replaced. Classical Management Theories There are three well-established theories of classical management: Taylor?s Theory of Scientific Management, Fayol?s Administrative Theory, Weber?s Theory of Bureaucracy. Although these schools, or theories, developed historical sequence, later ideas have not replaced earlier ones. Instead, each new school has tended to complement or coexist with previous ones. Taylor?s Theory of Scientific Management, U.S.A Frederick Taylor (1856-1915) ?The Father of Scientific Management?. Scientific Management theory arose from the need to increase productivity in the U.S.A. especially, where skilled labor was in short supply at the beginning of the twentieth century. The only way to expand productivity was to raise the efficiency of workers. Taylor devised four principles for scientific management theory, which were: 1. The development of a true science of management, 2. The scientific selection and training of workers, 3. Proper remuneration for fast and high-quality work 4. Equal division of work and responsibility between worker and manager Limitations of The Theory of Scientific Management: Although it maximized efficiency and productivity but its main limitation was ignoring human aspects of employment. This is manifested in the following: ? Some workers and unions opposed this theory because they feared that working harder or faster would exhaust whatever work was available, causing layoffs. ? Objection to the "speed up" conditions that placed undue pressures on employees to perform at faster levels, some managers exploited both workers and customers. ? Reducing worker?s role to a rigid adherence to compulsory methods and procedures. ? The increased fragmentation of work due to its emphasis on divisional labor . ? Economically based approach to the motivation of employees . ? It put planning and control of workplace activities only in the hands of managers. ... ...Late 1980's: renewed interest in organizational climate and groups Late 1980's: rise of participatory management techniques known by such terms as Total Quality Management (TQM), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). 1986: first ruling by U.S. Supreme Court on subject of sexual harassment Late 1980's: work stress received increasing attention in I/O research, theory, and practice Balancing work and family lives received increasing attention. References: - Organisation and Management of Health Care, April 2002, Version 2.0 , Main Contributor: Katie Enock, Public Health Specialist, Harrow Primary Care Trust www.healthknowledge.org.uk - Henri Rayol Industrial and General Administration, J.A.Caubrough, trans.(Geneva International Management Institute, 1930) - http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/ryn/projects/inventors/taylor/taylor.html - http://www.survey-software-solutions.com/walonick/organizational-theory.htm - http://www.glass-time.com/gainsharing/Motivation.html - http://www.mtsu.edu/~pmccarth/io_hist.htm - http://home.eclions.net/mbobic/Version17.htm - http://www.lib.uwo.ca/business/fayol.html - http://www2.pfeiffer.edu/~lridener/DSS/Weber/WEBRPER.HTML

Ethical Implications Essay

The Code of Ethics for Nurses clearly states that nurses are prohibited to participate in assisted suicide and euthanasia, it is ethically unacceptable. But Nurses are often in the best position to discuss end-of-life issues, they play a vital role in end-of-life care by advocating for their patients wishes and maintaining quality symptom management and support (Ignatavicius & Workman 2010). Euthanasia is legal in four states in the United States, these states are Oregano, Washington, Montana and Vermont. Terminally ill patients are able to request lethal medications under law. Most of these states require that the patients make two verbal request that are 15 days apart and also another request in writing with a witness. In Montana the law also states that the life expectancy of the patient has to be less than six months. Also the patient must be a resident in the state that he/she wants to precipitate in euthanasia ( New Health Guide n.d). In the case of Terry Schiavo, she had no living will in place, her wishes were unclear and the family was forced to stop her tube feedings and let her die. The nurse’s role in this situation would be to be there to support the family, providing resources and making sure the patient dies a peaceful death. The stake holders in this scenario are the physicians, did they make the right diagnosis and decision, the family who lost a beloved member of their family, and also the society as a whole, it was a very well published case and raised questions regarding if the decision was ethically right. In the scenario of Dax Cowart and Robert Burt, Dax was involved in a gas explosion that left him blinded and disabled. He wanted to stop all his agonizing treatments and die, even though he was competent, he was unable to refuse his treatments. In this situation nurses are obligated to give a competent patient the right to refuse treatment and respect the decision their patients make. The stakeholders in this scenario is the patient Dax who had to suffer through 15 months of treatment, and the doctors who went against his decision. Ignatavicius, D. D., & Workman, M. L. (2010). Medical-surgical nursing: Patient-centered collaborative care (6th ed.). St Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders. New Health Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://www.newhealthguide.org/Where-Is-Euthanasia-Legal.html Purtilo, R., & Doherty, R. (2011). Ethical Dimensions in the Health Professions, 5th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/978-1-4377-0896-7/id/B9781437708967000230 c0014 Euthanasia Ethics. (2014, September 26). Retrieved December 14, 2014 from http://www.euthanasiaethics.com/

End Justifies the Means

Does The End Justify The Means? First, let's try to understand the sense in which the word â€Å"justifies† is used in the familiar statement that â€Å"the end justifies the means. † After that we can consider the problem you raise about whether it is all right to employ any means – good or bad – so long as the end is good. When we say that something is â€Å"justified,† we are simply saying that it is right. Thus, for example, when we say that a college is justified in expelling a student who falls below a passing mark, we are acknowledging that the college has a right to set certain standards of performance and to require its students to meet them.Hence, the college is right in expelling the student who doesn't. In most societies, killing a human being is seen as a bad thing to do. But what do you do when a country declares war against you? The â€Å"end† in this case is the end of the war. If you do nothing and stick to your moral grounds , you will be destroyed, but the war will be over. If you take up arms to defend yourself, you are violating your moral code for the sake of stopping the war.. An enterprise can succeed only if it has a goal. To achieve that goal an effective method should be adopted.The method can be harmless with no violence in it. Or it can be hard and cruel which calls for a lot of violence. In both cases the goal is the same. Only the method of achieving it is different. The proverb, a very disputable one, means that if the goal is good the methods adopted for achieving it do not matter. It can be good or bad. The Florentine statesman, Machiavelli, in his book THE PRINCE advocated this doctrine. According to him, it is justifiable to go to any extent for achieving a good cause. It may be necessary to use violence sometimes.It will be harmful to some people. But all that can be justified if the goal is good. Some great Indian leaders and thinkers like Gandhi have opposed this doctrine. According to them it is not only necessary that goal should be good but the means adopted for achieving it should also be good. In some countries governments  resort  to anything for suppressing riots. When peaceful requests and talk fail to bring about the desired result, they use sheer force to suppress such riots. They argue that it is for the common good of the ublic. Whatever be the truth, the doctrine ‘the end justifies the means’ happens to be a very controversial one which provokes much thinking and dispute. This phrase, originating from Niccolo Machiavelli's book â€Å"The Prince†, is interpreted by some to mean doing anything whatsoever that is required to get the result you want, regardless of the methods used. It does not matter whether these methods are legal or illegal, fair or foul, kind or cruel, truth or lies, democratic or dictatorial, good or evil.Some agree that the statement is correct; however, others don’t see it that way. . When a man re aches worthy means with unworthy methods, how does that feel within a human soul? Because people have a Conscience, whenever they like it or not, people have to feel for others when they do something bad.. Another view, the benefits from something outweigh the process attained. For example if somebody cured cancer, but he/she had to kill one cancer patient to find the cure.They would say that the fact that they cured cancer made the loss of one life to save many worth it. The other way would mean something like the process makes the outcome worth it, which doesn't make much sense. On the other hand, if the end is worth the cost, then it is fine to eliminate the undesirables. However, the problems arise when judging if it is worth it, and if the undesirable might be of potential value later. For example, assassinating undesirables that are murderers is justified in that it saves future lives.