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November 23, 2005
Presentation #9: Just War and Iraq
According to a survey, insurgents and criminal regimes in Baghdad have ruthlessly killed almost 25,000 civilians, police, and army recruits since the start of the war in March 2003. Even more people were seriously maimed or disfigured in many of these events. These results are very similar to an U.N. poll which reported 24,000 conflict-related deaths.
In the first year of the invasion, the civilian death toll reached 6,000 and nearly doubled in the second year. This increased death toll shows an increase, rather than decrease, in domestic violence in Iraq.
The findings of the survey reported that nearly 37 percent of the total deaths in Iraq have been caused by U.S.-led forces, despite vehement denial from top government officials and disputed by the U.S. military.
Questions:
Are the ill-fated deaths of both Iraqi and American people justified by the Bush administration's goal of protecting our nation?
Do you feel that the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is enough reason to declare war on Iraq?
Now, with the current evidence that disproves the threat of biological and chemical weapons, do you feel that our presence in Iraq is necessary? Why or why not?
Posted by seschmid at 01:10 PM | Comments (20)
November 17, 2005
Be Prepared Next Week
So we can finish talking about the abortion debate before Thanksgiving holiday and in preparation for your papers, make sure you have read Thompson, Warren and Marquis.
On Monday, we will finish talking about Thompson and move quickly to Warren. On Wednesday, we will deal with Marquis.
Don't forget--the paper is now due on November 30, at the beginning of class.
Posted by seschmid at 04:45 PM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2005
Presentation #8: Abstinence-only Programs
Abstinence-only-until-marriage programs teach that abstinence until marriage is the only morally correct option for sexual expression for young unmarried people.
Comprehensive sex education programs teach that abstinence is the best method for preventing STD’s and unintended teenage pregnancies, but also teach about contraception to avoid STD’s and unintended pregnancies.
The federal government has invested nearly $620 million in abstinence-only-until-marriage education programs, according to the Sexuality Information and Education Council. In the fiscal year 2005 budget bill, passed by Congress in December, $104.5 million was allocated for community-based abstinence education.
According to a recent report prepared for Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), many abstinence-only-until-marriage programs contain false and misleading information and greatly underestimate the effectiveness of contraceptives.
Recent studies show that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs do not prevent teens from having sex before marriage and actually deter sexually active teens from using condoms and getting tested for STD’s.
HOWEVER, current sex education classes are obviously not working, because every year, 9.1 million 15-24 year olds are infected with an STD, and 800,000 15-19 year olds become pregnant.
Which program do YOU think should be taught in schools?
If you don’t like either of these programs, what kind of program would you suggest?
Should the government be spending that much money on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that are not working?
Would abstinence-only-until-marriage programs be useful if they were taught in a different way?
Posted by seschmid at 01:08 PM | Comments (18)
Paper Due Date Change
I have decided to change the paper due date.
The paper is now due on Wednesday, November 30, 2005, at the beginning of class.
You can find the paper assignment here.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Posted by seschmid at 01:03 PM
November 13, 2005
On Monday
On Monday, 11/14, be ready to talk about Noonan.
More than likely we will not get to Thompson until Wednesday.
Posted by seschmid at 01:12 PM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2005
Presentation#7: Doctor-Assisted Suicide
Terri Schiavo suffered a heart attack in 1990 caused by an eating disorder. This deprived her brain of oxygen for about 14 minutes, which caused significant brain damage. Following this event, Mrs. Schiavo fell into a persistent vegetative state. Over the next few years, her husband pursued aggressive treatments to try and help his wife recover. Despite the treatments, there has never been any improvement in her condition and she remained unaware and dependent on a feeding tube.
The controversy began in 1998 once he realized that there was no hope for recovery. He claims that his wife had told him that she does not want to live off a feeding tube for the rest of her life and so he wanted to remove the feeding tube and let her pass away. Her parents protested this and it turned into a long battle. After many years, Mr. Schiavo finally won the case and in 2005, the feeding tube was eventually removed.
What are your feelings towards this case?
Do you think that Mr. Schiavo should have won the case?
Do you think that it is right in other circumstances that a doctor help assist a "terminally ill" person in committing suicide? And if so, what would you classify as terminally ill?
Do you think it is different to remove a feeding tube or "pulling the plug" on someone as opposed to a terminally ill person being injected with "killer medicine" by a doctor to lead to their death if desired?
Posted by seschmid at 07:11 AM | Comments (20)
November 06, 2005
Fetus and Moral Status
As we start the section on abortion, stem cell research, and related issues, one of the key issues is when one grants moral status to an agent (assuming one can).
In particular, how does one establish or determine the moral status of the embryo and/or fetus? What features are important for determining the moral status of the fetus?
If the fetus does have moral status (hence, rights), is the moral status/rights of the fetus the same as the moral status/rights of adults? If they are the same, what does one do when these rights are in conflict?
Finally, should the conferring of moral status be understood by appeal to some objective fact or is the conferring of moral status a decision made by moral agents weighing competing alternatives?
Posted by seschmid at 06:17 PM | Comments (4)
November 04, 2005
Presentation #6: Prisoner Rehabilitation
Todd is serving a 10 year sentence for assault in the Oregon State Correctional Institution in Salem. He is now part of an Oregon Prison program that is an effort to remold offenders - requiring them to work, study, or undergo drug & other treatment sessions full time. Thanks to this program, Todd is in an advanced computer class, building customized computers for state agencies. When he leaves prison, he will be guaranteed a real job where he will earn more than $50,000 per year.
Since this program started in Oregon, the percentage of inmates admitted to Oregon prisons who were returning parolees is down nearly 25%. Furthermore, Oregon prisons have a higher rate of G.E.D. completion than the 17 community colleges in the state.
Do you think that the changes in these numbers are a reflection of the prisons' rehabilitation programs?
Do you think that the priority of prisons should be rehabilitation or punishment?
Do you think it is fair that inmates, such as Todd, are guaranteed a relatively high paying job when they are released from prison? Why or Why Not?
Posted by seschmid at 12:31 PM | Comments (22)