Owen: These are mostly a very good set of answers that will be most useful for your individual analysis in your preparation for the PWT. Your answers have been teacher edited for critical thinking, accuracy, and grammar. Like all collaborative projects, the more you put into it individually, the more you benefit collectively. Well done everyone of you who contributed your thoughts and ideas, your efforts have added to your individual ARW grade.
AG Answers to Silver Comprehension Questions
(ELP Reader 2006)
Text Pages 1-3 From Science to Reality1 a) What was the public reaction to the birth of Dolly?
People showed great interest in it (219).
(Mami) OJ: Public reaction was more complex than just basic interest - more detail needed.
Changed our conception of life forever.
(Keita) OJ: More explanation needed.
1b) Does Silver think that the cloning used for animals can be applied to humans?
Yes, he thinks the equipment and facilities are already common and easy to get (220).
(Mami)yes.
(Keita)Text Pages 3-6 From Plants to Tadpoles, but Not Mice2. What is the “critical defining characteristic” of a cloned individual?
A cloned individual is
genetically identical to the ancestor cell or organism, and to other clones of the same ancestor (221).
(Mami)Genetically identical
(Keita)3. Why are animal cells more difficult to clone than plant cells?
Because animal cells are much less flexible than plant cells in terms of their development potential (221).
(Mami) Animal cells are much less flexible than plants.
(Ketia) OJ: Answers really need example(s).
4. Why does Silver think Gurdon’s research failed?
Because Silver thought Gurdon's failure was due to the primitive equipment and technology available at that time.
(Saori)Silver thought Gurdon's success rate was extremely low as a consequence of the primitive equipment and technology available at that time.
(Yuri)Silver thought that it was a consequence of the still primitive equipment and technology at that time.
(Hiroko)5. Why did scientists think Gurdon’s research failed?
Gurgon failed because of mother nature: cloning is against basic biological principles.
(Saori)Rather than blaming the technology, many scientists blamed mother nature.
(Yuri)Other scientists blamed mother nature, assuming the existence of a basic principle of nature that cloning is biologically impossible.
(Hiroko) Text Pages 6-8 Cloning Enters Public Culture6. Discuss the Toffler quotation on Text Page 6.
He wrote that making biological carbon copies of oneself is fantastic. But I don't think so, because if there is my own clone, I will not feel good. Therefore, I don't think that his opinion isn't fantastic.
(Saori) OJ: Give a couple of reasons to support your point of view.
Toffer thought making that biological carbon copies of man is a fantastic possibility. In my opinion, although biological carbon copies might be useful for medical treatment, this would also raise serious moral questions.
(Hiroko)7. How did cloning enter public culture in the 1970’s and 80’s?
By movies, television shows, and science fiction novels.
(Shun)
1970-1 book,1973-1 movie,1978-1 book,1 movie. In 80's- many movies, television shows, and science fiction novels.
(Tae Won)By media information such as TV shows, movies, and novels.
(Misa)8. What event in the 1990’s created even greater awareness of cloning?
Research by Jerry Hall and Robert Stillman, that successfully cloned human embryos.
(Shun)
A experiment by two scientists that show clonely developing cell.
(Tae Won) OJ: Answer is not clear.
In 1993, Jerry Hall and Robert Stillman succeeded in cloning human embryos.
(Misa)9. What was the public reaction to this research and why was it so strong?
The Vatican, biotech critic Jeremy Rifkin, and the European Parliament strongly criticized the research. The European Parliament banned cloning, because they are considered to against human ethics.
(Shun)
The experiments caused public anger about the ethics and morality of cloning.
(Tae Won)The public criticized the cloning of humans and viewed it as a repugnant act. Some countries banned cloning because it was recognized as conflicting with basic human rights.
(Misa)
Text Pages 8-10 From Sheep to People10. What evidence does Silver present that suggests that human cloning will be possible?
Embryos of all mammals undergo early development in a very similar way.
(Naoko)Embryonic development of all mammals is quite similar, and nuclear transplantation in the rhesus monkey, whose embryo develops almost like a human one, is technically possible.
(Takura)
Embryos of all mammals go through early development in a very much similar way.
(Shoko)11. What is a basic medical principle that needs to be considered before the use of cloning is approved for use with humans?
Doctors should not perform any procedure on human subjects if the risk of harm is greater than the benefits that might be achieved.
(Naoko) In the case of cloning, Doctors should not use human cloning technology unless natural birth is likely to involve higher risk of birth defects than "birth" by cloning.
(Takura)Doctor should not perform any procedures on human subjects if the danger of damage or injury is greater than the benefits that might be attained.
(Shoko)12. How did the media report the birth of Dolly in a negative way?
Emphasizing the fact that the success rate was only 1 in 277 "tries."
(Naoko)A lot of the media reported that the experiment succeeded only once despite 277 attempts.
(Takura) Many of the media reports emphasized the fact that the success rate was only 1 in 277 "tries", and it implied that many lambs died or were born with genetic malformations.
(Shoko)13. Some genetic problems in humans occur when extra copies of a gene are passed on, or when a child receives a mutant gene from both parents. Are these more likely to occur with cloning?
No, according to Silver, cloned children have no reduction in genetic material, and the chance that abnormalities of chromosomes will occur is greatly reduced.
(Yoko)No. According to Silver, birth defects in cloned children could occur less frequently than babies born the normal way.
(Zen) No. In addition the possibility of mistakes is also reduced.
(Misato)14. What further research is necessary to see if cloned animals are as healthy as other animals?
Now, there is a small number of cloned animals, so large amounts of direct data need to be collected to see whether cloned animals are healthy or not.
(Yoko)Research into the health condition of cloned animals over their lifetime is neccessary.
(Zen)Research is needed to find out whether cloning has any effects on the health or life span of animals.
(Misato)Text Pages 10-15 Cloning Misperceptions15. According to Silver, why are people frightened of cloning technology?
Because, people do not know what clone is and they see it is an imperfect copy.
(Zen)Because, people think cloned animals are imperfect or have no soul, and do not understand cloning clearly.
(Yoko)Because they do not understand the meaning of cloning and they think a clone is an imperfect imitation of the real thing.
(Misato)***IMPORTANT QUESTION***16. How is life in “the general sense” different from life in “the special sense”?
Life in "the general sense" means that it is mere a cell and do not accept as a human. On the other hand, life in "the special sense" means that developed cell; fetus can be recognized as a human.
(Naofumi) OJ: This answer needs review.
This chapter explains cloning misperceptions.
"Life in the general sense" is the
physical aspect of life. Scientists
can make a
biological copy of someone by making a genetically identical fertilized egg.
"Life in the special sense" is the
mental aspect of life - experiences, memories, and thoughts. Scientists
cannot make someone who has the same
personality as the original.
(Sho)
Life in "the general sense" means life only at the level of the cell.
Life in "the special sense" means the experiences, thoughts and memories of someone - their personality.
(Haruna) 17. In Huxley’s Brave New World, how would clones be used for social stability?
Government can keep the high birth rate. And labor is always in plentiful supply.
(Naofumi)
Cloning can produce standardized people who are easy to control.
(Haruna)18. Why does Silver think governments will not chose to clone people for:
Social stability:
To clone, one woman is needed per single clone as a surrogate mother. And to control her body means the government violates her rights.
(Naofumi)Making soldiers:
To produce cloned soldiers is not very efficient. And, the government could make much more dreadful weapons than simple soldier clones.
(Naofumi)
Government can create more fighting power out of high-tech weapons than making soldier clones.
(Haruna)Making factory workers:
Even in this situation, the number of workers is already enough, and to control people's mind by new drugs is an easier way to create docile factory workers.
(Naofumi)Factory workers have already been created in enough numbers in many societies.
(Haruna)Producing people with great minds:
It is more simple to build a great system of public education.
(Naofumi)Buliding a superior system of public education is better than cloning.
(Haruna)19. Even if a powerful group did clone the leader, why does Silver think that such children would not become leaders in the future?
The enviroment the cloned children face would be different from the enviroment the leader faced. When the enviroment has changed, the personality of the children cannot be the same as the original leader.
(Naofumi)
The surroundings which the children face is different from that the original leader faced.
(
Haruna).
Text Pages 15-20 The Cloning of Children20. What happened to Anissa and how did the parents choose to save her life?
She was diagosed with myelogenous leukemia, and her parents tried to have another child who could be Anissa's donor (223).
(Mami)She was found out as having myelogenous leukemia and her parents decided to have another baby to be Anissa's possible donor.
(Takeru)She was diagnosed with myelogenous leukemia. The parents tried to have another child who could produce Anissa with the needed bone marrow.
(Keita)She was diagosed with myelogenous leukemia, so her parents decided to give a birth to a new child for purpose that the new child could be her donor.
21. How could Anissa have been saved with cloning technology?
She could have been saved by a donor cloned from herself who would be her perfect match (234).
(Mami)She could have been saved by a donor who was her clone.
(Keita)By constructing a new embryo with the same genetic material as her, she could be saved by a perfect-match donor.
(Takeru)Cloning herself to create a donor whose genes which match her own.
(Megumi)22. What was the reaction of some bioethicists to what Anissa’s parents did?
They said that it was ethically wrong and unacceptable (234-235).
(Mami)Ethically wrong.
(Keita)Having a child as a donor is ethically wrong.
(Takeru)It is morally wrong to have a child to make a donor.
(Megumi)23. What is Silver’s response to this reaction?
Couples sometimes have babies without any forethought, sometimes just for relieving sexual tension. So, the Ayalla's case is ethical.
(Satoko)
Millions of people have babies without any forethought, and the right of married adults to have a family is constitutionally protected.
(Yuri)Silver responds that it is bad to criticize only Anissa's parents because many couples have babies without any forethought.
(Saori)The right of married adults to have and raise family is constitutionally protected. Therefore he may think we should not criticize Abe and Mary without reflection.
(Hiroko) 24. What are two more examples of the use of cloning to have a family? Do you agree with these?
a) Two new babies are born from the frozen cells of twin babies who die in a car accident. ---I agree with this.
(Satoko)Technology which uses frozen cells. By using frozen cells, couples have another baby if the original baby dies through accident. ---I agree with this.
(Saori) OJ: Support your position with reasons.
Frozen cells - two embryos are introduced into mother's uterus. Only one embryo can rise to a healthy baby. Another embryo can be preserve as frozen cells, and parents(mother) can bear him/her in the future.
--I agree with that.
(Yuri) OJ: This answer needs to be reviewed.
The frozen cell: two embryos are introduced into the mothers uterus and only one implants giving rise ro a healthy baby. --- I agree with this because this technology makes baby for sterility parents.
OJ: This answer needs to be reviewed.
b) A couple could have a healthy child, but they cannot have babies any more after that. They want a second baby. They can have second baby using cloning technology (this is older child's clone). --I disagree with that.
(Yuri)A couple who becomes sterile make a baby by the cloning of older one. This means they have later-born identical twin. ---I disagree with this.
(Satoko)A couple who becomes sterile, choose cells from the first born to make a second child. --- I disagree with this.
(Saori)
OJ: Support your position with reasons.
Give birth the children with choosing their cell by someone.--- I cannot agree this idea because we ought not to choose our life or evaluate them.
(Hiroko) OJ: This answer needs to be reviewed.
25. How does Silver think a cloned child will feel when they grow up and discover that they are a clone?
I could not find the answer, sorry.
(Shun)They will not feel bad.
(Tae Won)Silver insisted that a cloned child will not feel psychologically harmed.
(Misa)Text Pages 20-21 The Cloning of Adults26. DISCUSSION: What is your reaction to some of the questions Silver raises on Text page 21, lines 6-32?
I cannot agree with Silver's second question about single parents who want to have baby. Even if single parents cannot have children, I think their desire should not always be accepted.
(Shun)
Cloning will give people who are infertile for any reason the choice to reproduces their "child", but it is not the best way to solve their problem.
(Tae Won)There are some problems when a fertile couple clones and problems happen case by case. Though a fertile couple may like to deny the instrusion of a stranger's genes into their child, they have to use unfertilized egg when they clone themselves, for instance.
(Misa) OJ: This answer needs to be reviewed, it is not clear.27. How could cloning help infertile couples?
Cloning can help infertile couples by avoiding introducing foreign genes into the family.
(Shun)
The cell from original body is introduced other egg which removed nucleus and this cell will introduce uterus.
(Tae Won) This answer needs to be reviewed.Cloning enables infertile couples to produce a child who is biologically related to both parents.
(Misa)28. Does Silver think fertile couples would want to clone a child? Do you agree?
No, Silver doesn't think fertile couples would want to clone a child, and I agree with his thought.
(Shoko) OJ: Support your position with reasons.
Silver does not think fertile couples would want to clone a child. I agree with Silver's opinion, because they can give birth naturally.
(Naoko)Silver thinks most fertile parents would not want to clone, but he seems to suggest that some fertile parents would want to use cloning to prevent a baby from suffering a deadly disease carried by one parent.
(Takura)29. How could cloning help someone to become a single parent? Do you think this is a good idea?
Women→By combining one of their skin cells with one of their unfertilized eggs to be placed back into their own uterus to develop into their cloned child.
Men→By cloning themselves only through the services of a surrogate mother.
―I think this is a very revolutionary idea, but I cannot assert that it is good because it may cause some ethical problems.
(Shoko)Women can become single parents by combining one of their skin cells with one of their eggs which are not impregnated. Also, Men can become single parents through surrogate mothers. I do not think this is a good idea, because their child is a copy of the parent in terms of genes, and there is a possibility that the child will lack their own identity.
(Naoko)Single women can have a baby by combining their unfertilized eggs and their skin cells, and putting them into their uterus. Single men can also have a child by using cloning and a surrogate mother. It seems to be a useful idea for single people who want to have a baby, but I do not think it is a good idea because having a child is so troublesome and expensive that most single parents seem to be distressed about it. Therefore, people should not use cloning lightly.
(Takura) Text Pages 21-24 Jennifer and Rachel 30. Read the story of Jennifer and Rachel. What effect would cloning have on our concepts of ‘parents’,
‘children’ and ‘siblings’ etc.?
Cloning would oblige us to consider the meaning of "parents", "children", and "siblings" etc. again.
(Naoko)Cloning makes our concept of “parents”, “children” and “siblings” uncertain, so people will have to reconsider their ideas.
(Takura)
Text Pages 24-27 Is Cloning Wrong?
31. Dr. Callahan argued that cloned children would lose the right to have their own identity. What is Silver’s response to this argument?
In Rachel's case, she just has the same genes as Jennifer and it can be said that they are twins genetically. Although Rachel is a cloned child, she will not lose her unique identity any more than natural-born twins might.
(Zen, I am sorry my answer is very complex)
Silver thinks this "right" has been granted by nature－identical twins are born every day as natural clones of each other. So cloned children will have their own identities as well.
(Yoko)According to Silver, even if a child is a clone, they have their own characteristics and own identity.
(Misato)32. Dr. Callahan argued that a cloned child would be harmed by the knowledge of future health problems. What is Silver’s response to this argument?
In the absence of cloning, many children have some sense of the future possibilities from their parents. And although they have same genes as parent(s), it is not sure that he or she will turn out the same way (242).
(Zen)Silver thinks that even in the absence of cloning, many children have some sense of the future possibilities encoded in the genes they got from their parents. So cloned children and natural-born children are in the same situation.
(Yoko)Silver argued there is no reason why a cloned child will experience harm from knowledge of their possible future health any more than natural-born children.
(Misato)
33. Discuss the questions raised by Silver in lines 28-34, text page 25.
The desire people have to want their own child is natural, but in order to grant this desire, using cloning technology is still questionable.
(Zen) It is natural that people want children related to them, but if they cannot have such children, they should resign themselves to their fates. We cannot choose children.
(Yoko)If a cloned child is born from a superior gene, the child will not have a special character from the gene alone.
(Misato)34. What is a religious objection to cloning?
Cloning leaves God out of the process of human creation and people are going into places they do not belong.
(Haruna)Cloning leaves God out the process of human creation.
(Naofumi)35. What are the arguments that cloning will harm society?
The continued interplay of genes is central to human's progress so cloning will limit evolution.
(Haruna)Cloning's identicalness would restrict evolution.
(Naofumi)36. How does Silver counter this argument?
Silver asserts that this argument is wrong on both practical and theoretical grounds. On practical grounds, if cloning becomes popular, cloned children would still only represent a few percent of all children in the world. On theoretically grounds, human progress is not related to unfettered evolution.
(Haruna) There are no real reasons natural evolution will be restricted by cloning.
(Naofumi) OJ: Answer needs to explain Silver's objections.
Text Pages 27-3337. How would people’s right to choose to reproduce be threatened by cloning?
Cells could be stolen from people in many ways, and clones could be made from such cells without the notice or permission of donors.
(Mami)It is ignored, and people can use others' cells (genetic materials) without their knowledge and consent.
(Yuri)38. Does Silver think people will try to clone famous people, or people in general without their consent?
He thinks only heartless mothers may do this in order to get income and fame.
(Keita)His suspects that most people want their own child rather than a child cloned from someone else.
(Tae Won)Silver contradicted the possibility of surreptitious cloning because people want their own kindred child, not someone else's child. In addition, even though someone may clone a famous person, genetic potential does not ensure their success. He believes that most people will seek consent before they use cloning technology.
(Misa)39. How could cloning help people through tissue regeneration?
Cloning technology help to change one of the skin cells of a parent into a brand-new embryo with a donated unfertilized egg.
(Saori)Cloning could make an embryo from a skin cell and an unfertilized egg, and then scientists would use ES cell technology in order to expand the embryo into a mass of undifferentiated tissue. Therefore, the embryo would be converted to what the patient required and could be transplanted.
(Takura)
Take the skin cell and put it into the unfertilized egg and make a mass of tissue. After this, convert the tissue into the particular tissue required, e.g. heart, lung.
(Naofumi)40. What is genetic engineering?
Genetic engineering is the process by which scientists alter or add specific genes to the genetic material present in the embryo so that an individual could be born with characteristics that he or she would not have had otherwise.
(Naoko)Ｇenetic engineering is the process in which genes are changed or added to the genes in the embryo by scientists to create characteristics that the individual would not have had otherwise. (P250 L14～16)
(Megumi)41. Why has genetic engineering not been applied to humans?
Because genetic engineering is incredibly inefficient and has a low rate of success, it is unacceptable for use in humans.
(Shoko)Because genetic engineering seldom succeeds, its low rate of success has meant genetic engineering has not been applied to humans.
(Shun)
Because genetic engineering has been not enough safe to be applied to humans.
(Hiroko)42. Cloning could help genetic engineering be applied to humans. Do you agree that genetic engineering should be used in humans?
Disagree. Actually, genetic engineering is sometimes useful but when it is used in humans, humans are like machinery. It is unnatural and against the laws of nature. Humans should try to live their life naturally as much as possible.
(Misato)
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