The GLEUBE polemics are intended to covey complex bioethical issues and debates to a general audience, assuming no prior knowledge of the subject matter. They can also be used by students to get a 'sneak peak' into a particular topic or an academic wishing to simply get an idea down on paper.
It is our intention that the following polemics will be accessible to everyone and in that same vein we will not only be including polemics from our project team but also from anyone else wishing to submit one.
1. World limit: all polemics must be no less than 500 words and no more than 2,000 words. The ideal length would be 1,000 words
2. References: all references must be in footnotes, each polemic should contain no more than 10
3. If you are referencing a website please hyperlink it into your document
4. They must be written in a simple accessible format for a general audience
5. The topic can be anything you are interested in writing about
6. Have fun!
All polemics will be reviewed by project staff before posting on the website. Please send submissions to our email address: Europeanbioethics@uclan.ac.uk
Fetal Organ Donation and the Moral Status Debate
By Natasha Burns (University of Central Lancashire)
Speaking at the Oxford International Biomedical Centre symposium on "New Body Parts for Old: Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine” professor Richard Gardner delivered a talk entitled "Stem Cells: What They Are and Why They ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/fetal-organ-donation-and-the-moral-status-debate.htm
From the Suicide Act to The Suicide Act - When 8 into 16 does not go.
by Keiran Bellis (University of Central Lancashire)
For those of us who have been calling for a full review of the elements of s2(1) of the 1961 Suicide Act* the 25th February 2010 was meant to be a watershed day and ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/from-the-suicide-act-to-the-suicide-act.htm
Understanding Rational Suicide
By Floris Tomasini (University of Central Lancashire)
The conventional view is the belief that suicide is wrong. This belief is supported by arguments from different perspectives – religious, philosophical and psychological. My aim, in this short article, is to critically examine ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/understanding-rational-suicide.htm
Having an eye out for the "if"
by Markus Neuvonen (University of Helsinki)
I was skip reading through the recent issues of an European bioethics journal Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy the other day. Being a philosopher with a somewhat methodological lookout on the subject matter, an interesting ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/having-an-eye-out-for-the-if.htm
Is the dead body a mere resource for Organ donation?
by Dr Floris Tomasini (University of Central Lancashire)
Is it not common sense to think of dead bodies as resources for organ donation? This depends on how we think about the recently dead. Can we harm the dead? If not, then ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/dead-bodies-as-resources.htm
Can we trust the traditional doctor-patient relationship?
by Dr Floris Tomasini (University of Central Lancashire)
The classic doctor-patient relationship is asymmetrical in a similar way to the parent-child relationship is: the doctor knows best what is good for his patient, just as the parent knows what is best ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/trust-the-doctor-patient-relationship.htm
Exploring Ethical Justification for Self-Demand Amputation
Self-demand amputees are persons who need to have one or more healthy limbs or digits amputated to fit the way they see themselves. They want to rid themselves of a limb that they believe does not belong to their body ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/exploring-self-demand-amputation.htm
Do Smart drugs equal smarter people?
by Emma Neale-Edwards (University of Central Lancaster)
An up and coming craze particularly among students is the taking of cognitive enhancing drugs (also called smart drugs or nootropics). Cognition can be defined as the processes an organism uses to organize information. ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/do-smart-drugs-equal-smarter-people.htm
Enhancing Athletes to Evolve Competition
by Natasha Burns (University of Central Lancashire)
When Usain Bolt ran the men’s 100 metres in a breathtaking 9.58 seconds at the World Championships 2009, he was hailed a Jamaican hero. When twenty five swimming world records were beaten at the ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/enhancing-athletes-to-evolve-competition.htm
How hard we want our facts?
by Markus Neuvonen (University of Helsinki)
As a bioethicist with a background in philosophy one thing aroused my curiosity. I have several friends and colleagues who think (almost arrogantly) that the term 'ethics' refers exclusively to a specifically philosophical discipline – ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/how-hard-we-want-our-facts.htm
Can We Bank On Biobanking?
by Emma Neale-Edwards (University of Central Lancashire)
The creation of a national biobank in the UK has been on the table for a long time. From the point of view of scientists, biobanks are a necessity in order to continue moving ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/can-we-bank-on-biobanking.htm
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: A New Trick
by Natasha Burns (University of Central Lancashire)
The issue of stem cells is no doubt a hot topic, we hear about it in the news, in the papers and through medical based drama daily. From our beginnings as an embryo to ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/induced-pluripotent-stem-cells-a-new-trick.htm
When Frankenstein becomes more monstrous than his monster
by Natasha Burns (University of Central Lancashire)
May 20th saw a groundbreaking announcement [1] from Dr Craig Venter that had the science, industry, medical and ethics community as giggly as school children, within hours of the news being released seasoned academics ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/frankensteins-monster.htm
More Attention to Neuromarketing Is a Must!
by Dr Choon Key Chekar (Cesagen, Cardiff University)
When I picked up a Korean newspaper in a local Korean supermarket and flipped through it the other day, my eyes were drawn to a small article. It was far from what I ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/more-attention-to-neuromarketing-is-a-must.htm
Bioethical regulations in Ireland: where are they?
by Elizabeth Yuko (Institute of Ethics, Dublin City University)
For a country with a strong history of human rights, Ireland tends to shy away from legislating on most issues pertaining to bioethics. Although there is a bill on human tissue regulation ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/bioethical-regulations-in-ireland-where-are-they.htm
Nootropics, Temptation and the Unknown
by Natasha Burns (University of Central Lancashire)
Recent reports in the popular press [1] suggest that smart drugs or ‘‘nootropics’’, such as Methylphenidate (Ritalin), Modafinil and Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts), are increasingly being used by the healthy to augment cognitive ability. ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/nootropics-temptation-and-the-unknown.htm
Comparing some differences
by Markus Neuvonen (University of Helsinki)
Comparing the role and methods of bioethics across the Atlantic Ocean may reveal some interesting
differences. I have tried to pin down some general features as to explain why and how we differ from one ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/comparing-some-differences.htm
Autonomy and Dignity in Nursing Homes
by Jens Erik Paulsen and Elisabeth Gjerberg (University of Oslo)
In Norway, the majority of elderly people spend the last part of their lives in nursing homes. Nursing home residents typically suffer from multi-pathological health problems, with dementia as the most ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/autonomy-and-dignity-in-nursing-homes.htm
Ethical issues surrounding the use of biometric body scanners in airports
by Charlotte Harwell (Cesagen, Lancaster University)
Biometric body scanners are now widely used in airports as an additional security measure, however, their deployment has sparked ethical and legal concerns among researchers civil servants and public policy-makers. One common question among ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/the-use-of-biometric-body-scanners-in-airports.htm
The disappearing interface between humans and machines
by Kristrun Gunnarsdottir (CESAGen Lancaster University)
CESAGen at Lancaster University was involved in organising a conference in Brussels last November, titled “ICT that makes the difference”. We organised sessions on state-of-the-art robotics and on issues surrounding what we decided to ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/the-disappearing-interface-between-humans-and-mach.htm
The Ethics of the Combined Ultrasound and Biochemical (CUB) Test
by Andrew Akampurira (Linkoping University-Sweden)
The development of ultrasound technology has expanded the ability of ultrasonologists to detect markers of foetal abnormalities, generating new ethical dilemmas concerning patient counseling. However, the ethical imperatives of “nondirective counseling” and “patient autonomy” are aimed ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/the-ethics-of-the-cub-test.htm
Why do bioethicists sometimes shun social sciences: some answers
by Markus Neuvonen (University of Helsinki)
I received an inspection copy of a book titled "The View from Here: Bioethics and the Social Sciences".* The book is written by a number of social scientists who are convinced their research yields valuable ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/why-do-bioethicists-sometimes-shun-social-sciences.htm
Ethical issues relating to the use of ICT implants in the human body
by Charlotte Harwell (Cesagen, Lancaster University)
Recent years have seen a surge in the use of ICT implants in the human body, for medical, and non-medical purposes. The ethical concerns surrounding this matter are extensive. I have touched on ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/ethical-issues-relating-to-the-use-of-ict-implants.htm
Plastic surgery: another area lacking regulation in Ireland
by Elizabeth Yuko, Institute of Ethics, Dublin City University
Getting plastic surgery may be a logical decision. It could include situations like seeking reconstructive surgery following an accident or skin grafting after a serious burn. It could also be a decision ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/plastic-surgery-another-area-lacking-regulation.htm
Why do Human Scientists sometimes shun Bioethicists?
by Nathan Emmerich (Queens University Belfast)
These bioethicists certainly are a funny lot, anyone would think that those who see to examine, analyse and proffer ethical advice would be some kind of human scientists. You know, an interdisciplinary sort who draws ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/why-do-human-scientists-sometimes-shun-bioethicist.htm
Would legalisation of physician-assisted suicide in the UK be detrimental to palliative care?
by Stephanie Kehoe (University of Central Lancashire)
Assisted dying laws in The Netherlands and Belgium stipulate that only doctors are allowed to assist with suicide. In Germany and Switzerland, assisted suicide (excluding euthanasia) is not illegal, but a doctor’s input in ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/would-legalisation-of-physician-assisted-suicide.htm
Why I Like Designer Genes
by James Lamb (University of Central Lancashire)
On the 25th June 2010, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in collaboration with clinical researchers from around the UK announced the launch of its UK2010 project; one of the largest genome-sequencing programmes ever to ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/why-i-like-designer-genes.htm
Healthcare Rhetoric and the Medical Tourist
by Keiran Bellis (University of Central Lancashire)
The recent global economic down turn has forced many countries governments to prioritise spending, with the United Kingdom supporting a National Health Service these cuts have also been reflected in the budgets received by ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/healthcare-rhetoric-and-the-medical-tourist.htm
A question concerning assisted technological reproduction: manipulable resource or reverence for life brought forth?
by Dr Floris Tomasini (University of Central Lancashire)
This polemic uses a famous essay, The Question Concerning Technology (1993 - QCT for short) by Martin Heidegger to look at some of the inherent problems with technologies that manipulate the beginnings of ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/a-question-concerning-art.htm
Public Attitudes and Perceptions toward Consuming Cloned Meat
by Dr Choon Key Chekar (Cesagen, Cardiff University)
After the news on the meat from the offspring of a cloned cow entered the UK food chain broke out [1] there have been interesting discussions going on. I have been following some ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/public-attitudes-and-perception-toward-cloned-meat.htm
Baby insurance? Freezing embryos now to become parents later
by Elizabeth Yuko, Institute of Ethics, Dublin City University
People undergo in vitro fertilisation (IVF) for a variety of reasons. Frequently, those reasons surround infertility. There is, however, another reason for freezing embryos – postponing parenthood.
Since contraceptives have become commonplace, family ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/baby-insurance-freezing-embryos.htm
Have womb, will travel: the ethical implications of fertility tourism
by Elizabeth Yuko, Institute of Ethics, Dublin City University
While some people travel for business, or in order to experience new cuisine, scenery and culture, others travel with another activity on the agenda: obtaining fertility treatments.
Fertility tourism – or reproductive tourism ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/have-womb-will-travel.htm
Scientists: Mad or Misrepresented?
by James Lamb (University of Central Lancashire)
Reviewing the media output of a society has always been a great way of understanding it’s underlying thoughts, feelings and fears. Public concerns about ethical issues often find their way into popular media such ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/scientists-mad-or-misrepresented.htm
NICE, the QALY and the ethics of rationing healthcare
by Stephanie Kehoe (University of Central Lancashire)
Morris et al (2007) state that no health care system in the world has achieved levels of spending sufficient to meet all its patients’ wants for health care. With an ageing population and new ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/nice-the-qaly-and-the-rationing-healthcare.htm
Human enhancement: some issues clarified
by Markus Neuvonen, University of Helsinki
One of the recent hot topics in bioethics literature is so-called "human enhancement". There has been an avalanche of publications tackling a variety of topics involved, and here I seek to clear the issue a ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/human-enhancement-some-issues-clarified.htm
Not just for booking plane tickets: using the internet to procure sperm
by Elizabeth Yuko, Institute of Ethics, Dublin City University
In recent years, the internet has become many people’s preferred way of communicating, shopping, making travel arrangements, and even dating. A recent trend suggests, however, that online purchases are not limited to ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/not-just-for-booking-plane-tickets.htm
No such thing as a bad egg?: the potential of the artificial ovary
by Elizabeth Yuko, Institute of Ethics, Dublin City University
Now that practices such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and artificial insemination have become safe and accepted, the next logical step in the development of artificial reproduction has come in the form ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/no-such-thing-as-a-bad-egg.htm
The impact of Pop Culture: Bioethics in a Modern Age
by Natasha Burns (University of Central Lancashire)
Like most people I watch far too much television, unlike most people I’m willing to both admit it and be proud of it! My particular foible is medical dramas. Not only do I like ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/the-impact-of-pop-culture.htm
Shame on Us
by Professor Jan Helge Solbakk (University of Oslo)
In a paper published on October 1, 2010, 'Horrific medical tests of past raise concerns for today. As more research moves outside U.S., are we still exploiting the poor?', Arthur Caplan provides some ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/shame-on-us.htm
A New Proposition for Justice
by Natasha Burns (University of Central Lancashire)
Whilst researching for a previous polemic entitled ‘Nootropics, Temptation and the Unknown’, in which I discussed the use of nootropics or 'smart drugs' by stuents attempting to enhance their congnition and to some extent ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/a-new-proposition-for-justice.htm
Bioethics & Film
by Stephanie Kehoe (University of Central Lancashire)
Inspired at the GLEUBE workshop in Dublin by the panel on the use of film and literature in ethics teaching (Pat Brereton & Brigitte Le Juez) I began to wonder about the movies and ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/bioethics-film.htm
The moral poetics of storytelling
by Jan Helge Solbakk, University of Oslo and Bergen
Fiction is full of poetically crafted stories of sickness that come to life each time they are read. To use a phrasing of the poetic mastermind of Mexican writing, Carlos ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/the-moral-poetics-of-storytelling.htm
The future of religious bioethics
by Jan Helge Solbakk (University of Oslo and Bergen)
Besides being trained as a physician and holding a doctorate in ancient Greek philosophy, I am a theologian. I studied protestant theology for seven years and I became utterly fascinated by a ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/the-future-of-religious-bioethics.htm
Contraception or abortifacient?: The debate over the Morning After Pill
by Beverley Caddick (University of Central Lancashire)
There are many legal debates discussing whether the morning after pill is a contraceptive or an abortifacient, because it has been described as preventing the implantation of a fertilised egg. My intention is ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/contraception-or-abortifacient.htm
Fortress Europe: DNA-testing, ethics and family reunification
by Jan Helge Solbakk, University of Oslo and Bergen
Since the late 1990’s there has been an ongoing debate in Europe concerning the ethical justification of using DNA-testing in connection with applications of family reunification. Several European countries (among others Austria, ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/fortress-europe-dna-testing-ethics.htm
Ethics and Loss of Chance in Medical Causation
by Jack Clayton Thompson
To many people the connection between the law and ethics is an obvious one. For laypersons, if asked to name a law most would instantly refer to the ‘big ones’. In criminal law this would be Rape, ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/ethics-and-loss-of-chance-in-medical-causation.htm
Bioethics on the bench
by Prof. Jan Helge Solbakk
Three weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Sigmund Freud museum in Bergasse 19 in Vienna. Relaxing on a modern copy of Freud’s famous sofa, I sent an sms to my companion telling her ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/bioethics-on-the-bench.htm
The difficult business of making an argument
by Markus Neuvonen (University of Helsinki)
It's hard to think anything more important in bioethics than the ability to make an argument. By this I mean that however brilliant your moral insights may be and however thoroughly you're acquainted into facts ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/the-difficult-business-of-making-an-argument.htm
Unwilling participants: the trafficking of human organs
by Elizabeth Yuko (Institute of Ethics, Dublin City University)
While a debate exists surrounding the conditions under which human organ procurement and transplantation should be permitted to take place, the trafficking of human organs is internationally recognised as a crime. The ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/unwilling-participants.htm
On making prophesies
by Markus Neuvonen, University of Helsinki
One of the intriguing features in bioethics seems to be its relation to the future. Many papers written under the general rubric deal with emerging technology and the morally troublesome slippery slopes involved in their ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/on-making-prophesies.htm
Hi-prio of hi-tech? How hi-tech gains high priority
by Prof. Bjorn Hofmann (University of Oslo)
In some countries, like Norway, the access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is extended if you are entitled to preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Women above 40 years old are usually not offered IVF by the ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/hi-prio-of-hi-tech.htm
Opposites attract: how will the newly-elected coalition government handle bioethical issues in Ireland?
by Elizabeth Yuko (Institute of Ethics, Dublin City University)
The recent Irish parliamentary election resulted in a coalition between the centre-right Fine Gael and the centre-left Labour Party, ousting Fianna Fáil from their 14 year turn in government. With two parties ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/opposites-attract.htm
Thought experiments taken for real
by Johanna Ahola-Launonen (University of Helsinki)
At present one of the most discussed topics in bioethics is genetic enhancement. Basing on the new information concerning human genome and research in medical genetics, hopes are set for massive clinical procedures that not ...
http://www.gleube.eu/papers/thought-experiments-taken-for-real.htm
