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impact of technology to human race
impact of technology on mankind
impact of technology to human race
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Technology and the Weakening of Human Gene Pool
Technology exists in countless forms. From sticks used to pry apart clamshells, to nuclear plants that generate energy. One thing that all technologies have in common, is that they advance the human race. Technology acts as a catalyst to bring about new world views, fix problems, and bring answers to questions that could never have been answered in the past. Medicinal technologies in particular bring incredible benefits to mankind. With new medical technologies emerging, society must question their morality, and more specifically, how they should be used.
Throughout history, medicine has existed in many forms. As the technology of cultures advanced, so did the applications of medicine. In the early 1700’s if a person’s liver failed, they would certainly be doomed to death. Who would of thought at that time that a transplant could of occurred, that a liver from a different animal, or another human being could save that person’s life. Though there were theories at that time of organ transplants, the technology nee...
Thesis: I will explain the history of organ transplants, starting with ancient ideas before modern science until the 21st century.
“One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought…” (Letter 4.21). If you are familiar with the story of Victor Frankenstein, then you probably already know that he procured stolen body parts in order to construct his famous monster. This form of grave robbing is an appropriate nod to similar events taking place at this time in history. The 18th and 19th centuries saw a fierce dispute between advancements in medicine and the morally skeptical. Such an issue plagued select regions of both North America and Great Britain, most prominently the United States and England, respectively.
There has been some ethical issues surrounding the development and use of technology, that would consist of some advancements, such as “when in vitro fertilization is applied in medical practice and leads to the production of spare embryos, the moral question is what to do with these embryos” (Shi & Singh, 2008, p. 182). As for ethical dilemmas that comes into play with “gene mapping of humans, genetic cloning, stem cell research, and others areas of growing interest to scientist” (Shi & Singh, 2008, p. 182). “Life support technology raises serious ethical issues, especially in medical decisions regarding continuation or cessation of mechanical support, particularly when a patient exists in a permanent vegetative state” (Shi & Singh, 2008, p. 182). Health care budgets are limited throughout this world, making it hard for advancements yet even harder to develop the advancements with restraints. Which brings us back to the “social, ethical, and legal constraints, public and private insurers face the problem deciding whether or not to cover novel treatments” 188. Similarly what was mentioned before the decisions about “new reproductive techniques such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection in vitro fertilization (ICSIIVF), new molecular genetics predictive tests for hereditary breast cancer, and the newer drugs such as sildenafil (Viagra) for sexual dysfunction” (Giacomini, 2005).
At the turn of the nineteenth century, medicine was hardly the enlightened profession it is today. Medical practices were often barbaric, employing methods that had been used for centuries, yielding little or no results and often killing the patient with a different affliction than the original ailment. Leeching (or blood letting), purgation, poor liquid diets, and cold water dousing were common practices as late as the 1850's. Even after newer, more effective methods of medical treatment had been introduced, many of the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries hesitated to use them. Fearing the loss of their reputations, they hung on to superstitious beliefs, doubting the effectiveness of su...
Since the inception of this mode of research, peoples’ perception of what constitutes moral behavior towards patients and specifically harvesting cells from patients has changed. Over time, other doctors would take cells from patients without patient consent and use them for research. Coming from this, people began to think about how ethical this was, and especially if the potential for scientific or medical advances outweighs the injustices imposed by the lack of obtaining patient consent. One could argue that in the area of ethical behavior and medical advances, it might be necessary and acceptable to take cells or tissue samples without patient consent. And even though these cells and the research of these cells might not affect the patient, what advantages and disadvantages could come from obtaining or not obtaining patient consent?
“Surgery.” Brought to Life Exploring the History of Medicine. Science Museum, London, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.
We have entered the 21st century and our knowledge of science, technology and medicine has increased at an outstanding rate. We have mechanical devices that allow an injured person to perform daily activities on their own. We have imaging devices that allow us to see what’s going on below surface level and diagnose diseases we would otherwise be oblivious to. We have the ability to replace dysfunctioning organs. These are not the only developments we have made and these in addition to the other medical technologies we have leave us in a position of difficult ethical decisions. A few of the major advances in biomedical technology and the ethical implications that come along with them will be addressed. The four topics that will be addressed are the scope of control in brain implants, growing organs from stem cells, embryo selection of in vitro fertilization, and the allocation of medical resources.
The technology of today’s world is astounding. We have learned how to battle diseases that were once thought to lead to a certain death, we have invented incredible technologies that allow us to communicate with people across the world instantly, and maybe most impressively of all, we are able to create human life. We now hold in our hands the technologies that allow those who may not have been able to conceive naturally to have children they can call their own; children who will enrich their lives in a way nothing else can, and who will continue their names and lives after they are gone. In an age where we have more power than ever to use the bodies and DNA of others for our own benefit, it becomes increasingly important that we remain open-minded and fully understand both the disadvantages and advantages equally and create stricter regulations to control how we as a people progress our civilization.
Organ Transplants: A Brief History (21 February, 2012) Retrieved from History in the Headlines Website: http://www.history.com/news/organ-transplants-a-brief-history
When someone hears about a significant breakthrough in the medical field, the first thing that comes to their mind is who were the scientist that achieved this finding and how? Never do they stop and think about those who participated and were impacted because of this cure that is now cured, specifically those who did not give their own consent. This issue is present in America and is overlooked upon as something that is inconsequential. Since it is unethical for scientists to make decisions without patients' consent, where is the line drawn regarding patients' rights when people have a right to decide what is taken from their body and what it is used for.
Throughout history, human beings have struggled to achieve control over nature. Now, in the twentieth century, with all of the scientific advances in computers and medicine, humans have come closer than ever to reaching this ultimate goal. However, along with the benefits of these new and rapidly increasing scientific advancements come moral, ethical and social issues that need to be given consideration. The Computer Revolution has not only vastly improved communication and produced amazing amounts of information, but has raised questions of human rights, privacy and social implications. While medical research has achieved medical benefits not even conceivable in the past, it has also raised major ethical and moral issues. Humans must consider all of these things when making decisions or judgments about human control over nature.
The concepts of human enhancement and biotechnology are fairly new terms in the world of ethics and medicine. These words, although far from being unfamiliar, are not often heard in the medical field except in special cases. However, in the past few years, the research and use of biotechnology is on the rise and becoming more prevalent under certain situations. This week’s reading focuses on the issues of biotechnology in a historical and modern context, yet also addresses the pros and cons of such developments.
The idea of organ transplants has been around for centuries, tracing back to myths by ancient Greeks and other early civilizations but people were unable to perform any surgeries for many years because they did not have the right technology and science to keep someone alive with a transplant. In the 1700’s, a Swiss naturalist, Abraham Trembley, observed the powers of organ regeneration in a tiny pond animal he called the hydra but could not do much with the information he gathered (Markovitz 98). It was in the early 1900’s when doctors started to try transplanting organs from one living thing to another. During this time, European doctors had patients dying of renal failure. In order to save them, they transplanted kidneys from different animals into them such as monkeys, pigs, and goats. Unfortunately, they were not successful and the patients never lived for more than a few days. Though organ transplants had not been successful, in 1905, Eduard Zirm, an Austrian ophthalmologist, was able to perform the world’s first corneal transplant. The procedure gave sight to a man who had been blinded in an accident. It was a good start to human transplants, but they were still a long way away. “In 1912, Alexis Carrell received a Nobel Prize for his work in the field. The French surgeon had developed methods for connecting blood vessels and conducted successful transplants on d...
Technology is important in our world today. Terry Tempest William’s “The Clan of One-breasted Women” is about women having breast cancer because of bomb testing from 1952- 1961 in Utah. In this case technology has a negative effect on the human race. On the other hand, “The Technology of Medicine” by Lewis Thomas is about money and the technology of medicine. There are three different levels of technology in medicine according to Thomas and they are “nontechnology,” “halfway technology” (582), and “technology of modern medicine” (583). It is obvious that technology benefits humankind with cures for diseases and prevention of sickness. Without technology, medicine would not be as advanced and there would not be as many medical procedures as there are today. By using technology, doctors have found out how to prevent certain diseases or viruses by immunizations. In fact, the human race needs to have technology to advance the medical field, as disclosed in Richard Selzer’s “Sarcophagus” about surgery, from the doctor’s point of view, showing all of the technology he uses during procedure. All these essays have examples on how technology benefits human kind. Therefore, technology is a friend of humankind, when used with restrictions, because it has made improvements in medicine and has proved its usefulness in hospitals.
The advances in modern medical science in the near future are dependent upon the advances of methods and procedures that by today’s standards are considered to be taboo and dangerous. These methods will not only revolutionize the field of medicine but they will be the forerunners to a whole knew way to treat people. For these advances to take place several key steps need to be taken both medically and politically. In this paper I will attempt to explain what methods and procedures will be the future of modern medicine, how these methods and procedures can benefit mankind, and finally what changes will be needed in the fields of medicine and politics.