Psychology sexual Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Psychology sexual Identity - Essay Example Fortunately, I now have the capacity to gauge their influence on my relationships-how they start, get maintained or ultimately end. Prior to learning all these, it is as if they passed by my life like a stream. Having been in this course enabled me to dip my hands and catch a handful of water - I am now able to contemplate about these ideas and not just let them influence me without my comprehension. '''''' I have acquired a lot from the course, and one of them is utilizing critical thinking and value systems in arriving at sexual decisions. Sex is indeed a basic, physiologic need, but expressing one's sexuality is also ridden by personal choices and not just controlled by raging hormones (Nevid et. al, 2005). I have tackled sexual decisions before without so much thought to them, and by then I could have been labeled as a follower of ethical relativism-living life and acting out according to one's own conscience rather than depending on external frames of thought to identify the demarcation line between bad and good (Nevid, et. al, 2005). Knowing the other value systems has not caused me to be swayed to switching and adhering to them, but it has helped me gain understanding of the rationales for other people's sexual actions. More than understanding other people, I have learned that my belief in ethical relativism boils down to my being open-minded and tolerant of diversity. Opposing opinions do not irritate me, nor am I advocating for oneness of opinion just to promote harmony amongst people who are intolerant of differences. I may see pre-marital sex as acceptable, but I can deal with people who staunchly believe that it is a sin and deserves abomination. Through this, I am now able to respect their decisions more, and also, I am able to respect my very own decisions as well because I have seen how self-reliant I am, enough that I was and still is able, to make sexual decisions in accordance with my own conscience-decisions that give not only space for freedom, but also impose limitations if this already tramples o n another's rights. '''''' During the duration of the course, my critical thinking skills applied in sexual decisions has also been honed and sharpened. I used to jump inside the bandwagon of pop psychology, believing in claims that has garnered growing number of support, and with this in mind, fueled enough complacency in me to apply in my sexual life. It is no different from all those fab diet regimens advertised in commercials; not all of them produce the results they claim to bring about. Of particular and pragmatic use are some guidelines presented in the first chapter. I learned how not to take everything by hook, line and sinker. I learned how to debate with what the book presented as fact. Indeed, there are book and magazines showing off that they have what it takes, methods and all, to bring out an explosive sexual experience. My old self used to pick up those kinds of magazines and buy them. Now I criticize the article first with questions like, "Who wrote this'", "Do they have credible and reliable sources or is the article just filled with sensationalized personal accounts'" Critical thinking enables me to ask the right questions so that I might arrive at the correct answers, which in turn becomes a guide for me to reach sensible decisions.' Effect of Environment and Historical

Stem Cell Research - The NIH, as the Federal government's leading Essay

Stem Cell Research - The NIH, as the Federal government's leading biomedical research organization - Essay Example The NIH has consulted with each of the investigators who have derived these cells. These scientists are working with the NIH and the research community to establish a research infrastructure to ensure the successful handling and the use of these cells in the laboratory". Government funded embryonic stem cells research is allowed in many countries including UK, Japan, France, Australia, and other countries. It was iniially prohibited in ths US by Dickey Amendment to Labor, Health and Human Services & Education Appropriations Act, 1996. Of the 71 blastocysts approved initially, only 22 remained in mid-2006, and many of them were of limited usefulness because of DNA damage. After former president Ronald Reagan died from Alzheimer's during 2004, Nancy Reagan, her entire family except for Michael Reagan, along with 58 senators launched a campaign to relax stem cells research legislation. Consequently, a federal bill passed the house for funding of embryonic stem cells from surplus embryos; however, the bill was vetoed on ethical grounds by President Bush. Stem cells have virtually unlimited applications in treatment and cure of many human diseases and disorders including Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer, paralysis, etc. Stem cells come in two general types: Embryonic stem cells have potential to develop into all 220 types of cells found in human body. Adult stem cells have a limited potential to develop into some variety of cells. While no human trials have started yet for embryonic cells, adult stem cells have now reached human trials stage. While most religious and ethical issues revolve around embryonic stem cells, harvesting adult stem cells does not present any ethical problems but they are difficult to harvest, are severely limited in quantity and have limitations of flexibility. Further, adult stem cells can produce only a few of the 220 different types of cells in the human body. Future Policy Considerations: Liberal Outlook The pro-choice movement firmly believes that since personhood is attained much later during pregnancy, extracting stem cells from few weeks old embryo is not a murder as such. Further, considering the unlimited potential advantages offered by embryonic cell research, even this 'killing' is justified in larger interest of humanity. In vitro fertilization ("test-tube babies") involves the purposeful creation of multiple embryos, knowing and intending that most of them will either die after implantation in the womb or, if not implanted,