Shades of Gray

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The Science and Ethics of Stem Cell Research
Shades of Gray Lesson 4
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Who Are We? Selected Stakeholders
Anne Graham Lotz
Mitt Romney
Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff
Ruben Diaz
Mary Tyler Moore
3
Ann Coulter
Gamal Serour
Michael J Fox
Leon Kass
Pope Benedict XVI
4
Alta Charo
Ronald M. Green
Barb Edwards and family
Christopher Reeve
Orrin Hatch
Swami B.V. Tripurari
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Judie Brown
David A. Prentice
Alfred Mann
John Kerry
William Haseltine
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Daniel Perry
C. Ben Mitchell
Nancy Reagan
Photos not available Heather Hanson
Joanne C. Sizoo
Barak Obama
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Central Ethical Questions about the Moral Status
of the Embryo

• How should we treat the embryo? What rights
  does it have? What responsibilities do we have
  towards it?
• How do we balance our attitudes towards the
  embryo with our responsibilities to help
  others?
• At what point in development does an embryo
  possess 'personhood' or moral worth? Based
  on what characteristics or capacities?

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Moral Status of the EmbryoLines of Demarcation
Conception - Catholicism (also Protestant
denominations Lutheranism, Southern Baptism) -
life is sacred from the moment of conception, no
matter where it exists (i.e., Petri dish or
fallopian tube). Embryo Implantation - Some
scientists, theorists, theologians and others
refer to the pre-embryo prior to uterine
implantation, and regard implantation as morally
significant. Primitive streak - At 14 days when
neural development begins, a sentient (possibly
capable of feeling pain) and thus morally
significant being exists.
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Some Religious Viewpoints

• Presbyterian approves SCR when the goals are
  compelling and unreachable by other means.
• Orthodox Judaism An isolated fertilized egg does
  not enjoy the full status of personhood.
• Reform Judaism adds that it
• would be unethical to NOT
• pursue promising medical
• research.

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Additional Religious Viewpoints

• Islam After the blastocyst stage a human being
  exists at 120 days ensoulment. Endorses
  regulated SCR as long as the potential for
  benefit is tangible.
• Mormon Doctrine holds that each person lived as
  a spirit child of God prior to being born and
  receiving a physical body on Earth life on earth
  begins when the spirit and body are united.

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Note to Teachers
about
the next slide

• If your students are having a difficult time
  understanding the U.S. political spectrum and are
  not familiar with words like conservative and
  liberal, the next slide (though overly
  simplified) may be helpful.
• For students who have some familiarity with the
  political vocabulary, however, it is NOT
  recommended that they be instructed in the
  terminology before the Four Corners Activity.
  Students often work out amongst themselves the
  meaning of the words, and have a better
  appreciation for the complexity involved.
• Though a useful tool in some cases, the slide
  serves to further stereotype stakeholder
  positions. The object of this lesson is to
  reinforce the idea that there are many shades of
  gray in considering the perspectives on stem
  cell research.

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A Simplified View of the American Political
Spectrum
liberal
conservative
moderate
t
u
democrat
republican
fascist
socialist
Totalitarian
Anarchy