Advances in genetic manipulation are making it possible to design children. Is this ethical? In this blog post, Michael Sandel explores the question. In his book The Case against Perfection, Professor Michael Sandel discusses the idea of designing children. Unlike choosing a friend or a spouse, where you can take into account the personality and qualities of the other person, you...
Book Review – The Selfish Gene (How do the Eggs and the Non-Eggs Keep the Balance?)
In this blog post, we’ll explore the ESS theory of how the balance between the prolific and the non-prolific is maintained in Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene. In his book, The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins rejects the concept of species, which has been used by the scientific community and education system to refer to biological evolution, and looks at living systems centered...
Book Review – The Selfish Gene (Richard Dawkins’ theory of kin selection, is it perfect?)
A critical analysis of Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene, exploring whether his theory of kin selection can fully explain evolutionary behavior. Introduction Richard Dawkins’ 1976 publication of The Selfish Gene introduced a new paradigm to biology about the nature of genes. His theory is as simple as the title suggests: “The primary goal of genes is to prosper (dominance in...
Michael Sandel’s ‘The Ethics of Life’: Reflections on Genetic Engineering and Human Dignity
Michael Sandel’s The Ethics of Life explores the ethical issues of genetic engineering and human enhancement, examining the values of fairness and dignity. Renowned scholar Charles Wells’s Antarctic expedition discovers traces of a 17-meter giant and discovers a civilization more advanced than our own. Meanwhile, researchers including his son David Wells and Auror Cameron feel...
Book Review – Sapiens: The Birth of a New Species, the End of the Human Race?
With advances in genetic manipulation and biotechnology, will humanity evolve or go extinct? A fascinating book review of Sapiens that explores the future of humans as technology changes it! “Seventy thousand years ago, Homo sapiens was an unimportant animal, minding its own business in a corner of Africa. Over the next few tens of thousands of years, the species became the master of the...
Book Review – Antigone, Does Fate Manipulate Man?
How helpless are we in the face of fate? Sophocles Antigone explores the nature of tragic fate and the implications for human agency. With them the Seed of Wisdom did I sow, And with my own hand labor’d it to grow: And this was all the Harvest that I reap’d-. “I came like Water, and like Wind I go.” This is a poem from Omar Khayyam’s Rubáiyát. I always think of this poem...
Book Review – Is Love Blind and Dangerous by Manon Lescaut?
Is blind love dangerous? We explore the meaning of true love through the passionate and tragic love of Manon Lescaut. There was an American singer named Nat King Cole who died decades ago. Although he was active in the mid-1900s, a very long time ago, there is a song of his that people still love today. It’s called “Too young”. The lyrics go like this They try to tell us we’re...
Where does D. H. Lawrence’s literature fall between ‘sex literature’ and ‘pornographic literature’?
What did D. H. Lawrence explore in the clash between mechanical civilization and human instinct? His literature and life shed light on sexuality, love, and the nature of human existence. Known throughout the world as a novelist and as a poet, D. H. Lawrence is arguably the 20th century’s greatest problematic writer. It is true that his works were often misunderstood as sex literature...
Book Review – Sapiens (Is Animal Testing Really Necessary?)
After reading Sapiens, I thought about the ethics and necessity of animal testing. What choices do we have to make between scientific advancement and respect for life? Animal testing is any experiment or scientific procedure performed on animals for scientific purposes, such as education, testing, research, and the production of biological products. During this process, animals are...
Book Review – HOT, FLAT, AND CROWDED (Global Warming, Can We Solve It Without Revolution?)
While we recognize the seriousness of environmental issues such as global warming, we fail to realize the urgency of the situation. What is needed now is not just awareness, but fundamental measures and the development and implementation of innovative green energy technologies with strong policy support from the government. We have recently come across issues such as the greenhouse effect...