Activity 1

Metacognitive reading report

Refer to the work of Lewis Wolpert entitled The Medaware Lecture 1998 in Science Dangerous?
Through the link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1669503/. Read the article and answer
the following questions:

1. What were Wolpert’s major points and support to his claims?

= Lewis Wolpert's major points in his article are about the science connecting to technology, the social
responsibility of the public, and reproduction (cloning, eugenics, and stem cells). According to him,
Science is not the same as technology. In contrast to technology, reliable scientific knowledge is value-
free and has no moral or ethical value. And also, according to him, a serious problem is the conflation of
science and technology. The distinction between science and technology, between knowledge and
understanding on the one hand, and the application of that knowledge to making something, or using it in
some practical way, is fundamental. Also, about the social responsibility of the public wherein, he said
that "the social obligations that scientists have as distinct from those responsibilities they share with all
citizens, such as supporting a democratic society and taking due care of the rights of others, comes from
them having access to specialized knowledge of how the world works that is not easily accessible to
others." It is true that as a public we should know also our obligations and be knowledgeable about some
particular issues about science and technology. And lastly, about reproduction wherein he's in favor of
eugenics because according to him that this eugenics can cure those who have a genetic disease such as
muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis.
2. Does he believe that science and technology is dangerous?
= He believes that science itself is not dangerous but when science connects with technology it may
become a serious problem. According to Lewis Wolpert "Dangers and ethical issues only arise when
science is applied in technology." that said is true. An example of this is cloning. In terms of section 39A
of the Human Tissue Act 65 of 1983, genetic manipulation of gametes or zygotes outside the human body
is prohibited. A zygote is a cell resulting from the fusion of two gametes, thus the fertilized ovum. Section
39A, therefore, prohibits human cloning. Nowadays, science and technology is not a common factor in
our society, |In fact, some of us don't know what is happening on that topic but we should be more
knowledgeable to this concepts because it can seriously affect our life.
3. What were his ideas regarding eugenics, cloning, and stem cells? Do you agree or disagree on his
points regarding these issues? Why or why not?
= According to Lewis Wolpert, Eugenics was defined as the science of improving the human stock by
giving the more suitable races or strains of blood a better chance of prevailing speedily over the less
suitable. Others said Eugenics is a rare case of immoral science. Scientific knowledge should be neutral,
value-free. When mixed with a political or social aim it can be perverted. For him, eugenics is good when
it's in good hands. Is in favor of eugenics because it can cure diseases like muscular dystrophy and cystic
fibrosis. For me, I'm against eugenics for now as long as there is a possibility that malfunction can
happen, I'm against it. He is totally against cloning as it carries a high risk of abnormalities as numerous
scientific studies on other animals show. Cloning can be a real problem soon if it's not talked about. For
me, I agree with him, as long as there is a probability that it will fail, I'm against it. He said that stem cells
are cells that can give rise to a wide variety of different cell types, have the potential to alleviate many
medical problems from damaged hearts to paralysis owing to damage to nerves. The best stem cells can
be obtained from early embryos, but this causes the death of the embryo. Some oppose this method as
they see the fertilized egg as already a human being. As a Catholic, I'm against it. In the first place
fertilized egg is already a human being, so in that said we're killing people for the good of others.
Nowadays, in our country, I think 75% are not familiar or knowledgeable about these issues because
they're more focused on life problems.
4. What role does the public play in the purported dangers (or lack thereof) of science and
technology?
= The public has a vital role in science and technology. It says there that the politicians are the ones who
implement those things (eugenics, cloning, and more). The article often says democracy, wherein
democratic government, Democracy is a form of government in which the people have the authority to
deliberate and decide legislation, or to choose governing officials to do so. So, we, people should vote for
our own chosen government officials to us ensure that the government will do the right thing because in
the first place if we don't choose the right government officials that we're voting we are the ones who will
suffer. Also, nowadays, even though these issues are not one of those true problems in our country we
should be knowledgeable about this.
5. What role does politics play in the purported dangers (or lack thereof) of science and technology?
= Politics has a vital role in science and technology because in the first place scientists just only
experiment with those things but politics implement it. In this article, it always says about the democracy
wherein democratic government, Democracy is a form of government in which the people have the
authority to deliberate and decide legislation, or to choose governing officials to do so. In our current
situation here in the Philippines, this is the time of filing the certificate of candidacy for those who are
running in a certain position. In that case, we can choose the government officials that we want.
6. What three concepts from the article will you never forget?
= The three concepts that I can't forget are cloning, eugenics, and stem cells because if these things have
been fully experimented wherein there is no possibility for it to fail then it really helps us in the future.
Though some of us don't know anything about this these things will really help us a lot.
7. What three realizations did you have after reading the article? State you answer in the following
manner: Before reading the article I thought… However after reading, I can now say that I learned
…
= Before reading the article, I thought this article only contains disadvantages of science connecting to
technology and science connecting to politics and some negative effects of it in our society. However,
after reading, I can now say that I learned many things. Like how this eugenics, cloning, stem cell works,
and what are the connections of science and to technology and in our politics. This article enlightens me
on many such things. Nowadays, we people should know about these things because if these things have
been fully experimented wherein we can already say that there is no possibility that this process will not
fail then these things can helps us a lot in the future.
8. What three things are still unclear to you after reading this article?
= I'm still confused about how these people (scientists) always experiment with unworldly things. Also,
it's so unclear to me why other people are in favor of those such things (cloning, eugenics, and more).
Even there is a possibility that this process will not work they still wanted it to be implemented. We're in
a Catholic country wherein these killings are prohibited and against God's law. Lastly, what if these
things (eugenics, cloning, and more) were implemented? This question can give us anxiety. Cloning itself
gives us the fear of what will happen in the near future but as public people, we should be aware and
knowledgeable about these things because this science in connection to technology might be the reason
for human extinction.