Edited by author 12-04-2002 05:57 AM
I have chosen as my research paper to investigate the relationship between rhetoric and science specifically focusing on the different rhetorical strategies employed by both Newton and Descartes with regards to their studies in optics. The three texts I will be using are "Landmark essays on Rhetoric of Science" edited by Randy Allen Harris, "The Rhetoric of Science" by Alan G. Gross, and "Persuading Science: The Art of Scientific Rhetoric edited by Marcello Pera and William R. Shea. Mostly my paper will examine the work of Newton and Descartes in terms of the relatinoship betweeen rhetoric and scientific discourse and explain, compare and contrast the different rhetorical operations taking place within the texts. I chose this topic in order to learn more about the rhetorical nature of scientific discourse and how it operates in order to function in a persuasive manner. Initially what brought about this idea was the discussion in class about the different rhetorical strategies taking place within Darwin's text (" The Origin of Species").

Edited by author 12-04-2002 12:11 PM
Rhetoric 174
Final Paper

My research is on the Grey Goo Scenario. The grey goo scenario is an apocalyptic vision that self-replicating nanobots will proliferate and take over earth, eventually making humanity obsolete. Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystem wrote an article titled, "Why the Future Doesn't Need Us." Using this article as a center piece, I examine the rhetoric and responses of this article to assess the validity and the seriousness of this futuristic/apocalyptic scenario.

I will argue that nanotechnology is still in its primitive stage of R&D and Joy's assessment of the future is still in the realm of science-ficiton. The advancement of nanotechnology is still centuries away, although many are proponent of Moore's Law and expontential growth of technology. Joy makes a valid argument that nanotech could be a threat, but invalid in making superficial claims that have an unforseeable technological future. The danger of nanotech is hinted and could be a reality, but not a threat as of now.

My research paper is going to be focusing on SOME of the arguments surrounding Stem Cell research. The more I look into the matter, the more arguments I find against it, while interestingly enough, I only really find one argument for it. Thats of course is to better man kind and take away disease and suffering. Some of the arguments that Im going to pay close attention to are whether or not the egg cell in the dish is actually worthy of the same protection as a human being. Why are a large amount of people that are pro-life pro-stem cells? Is it fair to be destroying embryos when there are people out there trying to "adopt" embryos for the sake of reproduction? Is it unfair of Bush to fund the stem cell research, being avidly pro-life, or is it the smart thing to do so the research doesnt fall into the private sector and the government will be unable to regulate it at all? Is it unreasonable to think that adult stem cells will some day soon be able to do everything the more contriversial embryotic stem cells can? Should cloning technology be studied further so that researchers can grow stem cells with the right membrane markers? Should people be allowed to be compensated for their donation of eggs for the sole purpose of research?

Again, these are some of the issues that Im going to attempt to tackle. Im not really sure right now where I stand or what Im going to prove over all. We'll have to see where it leads me.

   A particular type of reversal occurs in a zone so crucial to reality. Although the hospital is the sole source of cure and support in various manners, only recently the hospitals have confronted the problem of hospital-acquired infections. Now, the hospital increasingly becomes a site for breeding, mutating, and transmitting new and resitant microbes rather than a refuge for humans to eliminate them. This switch has not only created a problem, but opens the doors for novel biotechnological endeavors to create a solution. In order to remedy this problem, biotechnology companies seek to fix the antibiotic method from the inside. This attempt is not only a reminder of the power of natural selection and survivial of the fittest, but it is also a reflection of man's continuing attempts to delineate and maintain a crucial boundary between the external from the internal, which occur in nature.

Sources Include:
Hospital Acquired-Infections; Foucault's The Birth of the Clinic, as well as various websites of medical development, research, and current issue.

My research paper is going to tackle the issue of cloning and in particular the way that Professor Doyle framed the idea of regulation. I want to examine the attempts and rhetoric around the implications of cloning technology and how attempts at regulating it. Also, I would like to examine the basic arguments for and against it and especially the motives behind each side.

I’m dealing with the rhetoric of using the HIV virus as a vector in gene therapy, with special considerations of using HIV to combat HIV.

I am going to give a history of gene therapy, problems facing gene therapy and how it is proceeding today. Then I’m going to introduce the idea of using HIV as a vector, and I’m going to give a historical account of using HIV – both to treat HIV and other conditions. Then I’m going to talk about the problems of using HIV as a vector, and how this is referenced through some texts, and I’m going to give some analysis using the idea of a pharmacon (both poison and remedy). I’m also going to discuss the ‘discipline-ing’ of HIV and how you overcome the problems rhetorically. I am thinking of giving a more theoretical approach also – of encounter vs. containment, and perhaps offer a different model of thinking about disease.

This is a link for a company that deals in using HIV as a vector for treating HIV.
http://www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk/index.html

My focus will be the relationship between the idea of a human nature, and the acceptance of biotechnology's (mostly neuro-pharmologicals such as ritalin and prozac, but also more familar imrpovment drugs such as steroids) use for curing what we see as deficiencies (ADHD, depression, etc) but not for imrpoving "normal" human beings beyond their born capabilities. I will be using Fukuyama's Our post human future as my text for analysis, with help from Dawn, Canguilhen's Normal and the Pathological, and maybe some other theory texts to get a grasp on what we think human nature is, and where it comes from. My analysis will mostly be on the use of the rhetoric of human nature as an argument against improving humans beyond their "natural" capabilities. Dawn and Canguilhen will function as criticisms of this rhtetoric.

       In reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? I became fascinated with Dick’s use of pronouns to speak of androids, I also became quite interested in the concept of identity tied in with the body, all of which goes back to Lamarck – but this is more than just a question of being alive, or being human, it’s a question of what discursive practices construct us as humans. Gender/sex/sexuality all form parts of our experience as humans and can be found in something as simple as a pronoun. By analyzing the coverage of the murder of Eddie “Gwen” Araujo in Newark and how the press uses pronouns, I hope to show that despite the Olympic Sex Test becoming obsolete; there isn’t much of a difference when we socially police the sex of people ourselves within the boundaries of our very speech. People have changed sex even without the aid of technology thus tests for checking sex have made themselves necessary because the object of the “transgender” or rather “transsexual” folk is to become inconspicuous – to pass as members of the other side of the perceived biological binary. This was the case with Eddie Arajuo, who began passing as a female until that critical moment of detection when the self licensed bounty hunting begins. This happened without a PCR buccal smear or ever knowledge of the Barr body, and lead to the murder of this person. The criteria of the sex test lies within our very language

Sex in Dawn is primitive, primal, necessary, and yet unnecessary. It has become apparent to me the issue of the sex act plays a big role in defining the human experience. Of course then, the issue of replication vs. reproduction comes into play - i havent yet formulated a concrete thesis, but i think i'm on my way. Some theorists i want to use: Mackinnon, Foucault, and Freud.

Grace,

This is a fabulous idea to pursue! When I see Foucault, I think of "power" in its plethora of meanings, and cant help but wonder if "sex" (I assume you mean the act of sex) takes on a role of defining power in the world of DAWN... Then I see Freud who speaks of sex as primal, thus inherently necessary but never actually arguing that its for reproduction only... So whats up with the kind/s of "sex" going on in DAWN? I mean you have people pairing up, its almost mandatory... Lilith isnt into rape, but I wonder if the sex going on in the ship is consensual... I SO wish I was writing this paper now!

In reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? I became fascinated with Dick’s use of pronouns to speak of androids, I also became quite interested in the concept of identity tied in with the body, all of which goes back to Lamarck – but this is more than just a question of being alive, or being human, it’s a question of what discursive practices construct us as humans. Gender/sex/sexuality all form parts of our experience as humans and can be found in something as simple as a pronoun. By analyzing the coverage of the murder of Eddie “Gwen” Araujo in Newark and how the press uses pronouns, I hope to show that despite the Olympic Sex Test becoming obsolete; there isn’t much of a difference when we socially police the sex of people ourselves within the boundaries of our very speech. People have changed sex even without the aid of technology thus tests for checking sex have made themselves necessary because the object of the “transgender” or rather “transsexual” folk is to become inconspicuous – to pass as members of the other side of the perceived biological binary. This was the case with Eddie Arajuo, who began passing as a female until that critical moment of detection when the self-licensed bounty hunting begins. This happened without a PCR buccal smear or ever knowledge of the Barr body, and lead to the murder of this person. The criteria of the sex test lies within our very language.

Andrea,
This paper topic is definitely refined and ready to be written! I like the way you have complicated the issue of identity through gender/sex/sexuality. If you find you need more pages to write, here are some suggestions (and of course, they are only suggestions). How about defining or utilizing gender, sex, and sexuality when analyzing your texts? Perhaps you can identify the issue of sex within Dawn? (For instance, Lillith seems to have a strange way of describing the sex of the Oankali, as she attempts to separate them as female and male, while grappling with their asexual capabilities.) Overall, I think you have done a great job incorporating the details of the topic, and I am interested to know what conclusions you have come up with.

The problem with my research topic is that it can easily be a broad topic. It already seems so overwhleming for me. The sex act, in human society, has a plethora of meanings and implications, and, directly or indirectly, generate social structures and norms.

Which is why Andrea's topic struck me - the issue of transgender sexuality, or other forms of sexuality, creates such a dilemma in our society. The rhetoric used in describing non-heterosexualities shapes they way we ultimately think about what is "right" and "wrong". The dilemma is so much more than what it means to be a human, its about how we shape our own views without knowing it.
if we learned anything from Dawn, its that sexuality changes, it is a dynamic experience.

 The sex act, in human society, has a plethora of meanings and implications, and, directly or indirectly, generate social structures and norms.

Grace,
I think that this is an intresting problem in itself, actually. Does our ingaging in sex-acts generate (however directly or indirectly) structural norms, or is it the other way around? -I know thats kind of circular, but it makes me think about how Lilith was trying to make sense of things in DAWN. I think that the way the humans eventually began to define themselves atound this mystical act of sex, which they also didnt understand, but sought to understand as something that defined them as human. My first thought right after the attempted rape scene in the book, where one of the guys was like "we HAVE to pair up" was "Wow, what if you were gay? Then what?" and this made me think about how the guys targeted Lilith's guy as a "faggot" and eventually killed him. So given these scenes in the book, was the social structure designed by the act of sex or vice versa? As I read further into your comment I came up with the answer: " The dilemma is so much more than what it means to be a human, its about how we shape our own views without knowing it. if we learned anything from Dawn, its that sexuality changes, it is a dynamic experience."

So I think youre totally set, and do have a focus in your project.

To the person who is investigating the use of ritalin and prozac for curing 'deficiencies' such as ADD and depression-very interesting and cool topic choice. At least with ADD I think looking at the ways in which presons with ADD in some cases and in some arenas of life function better than so-called normal individuals would be interesting. You know there are some studies out there about ADD being directly correlated with creativity and intelligence, and these maintain that it is just that socially these individuals do not fit in well and so their accomplishments are often marginalized as they are. Also I am sure you will talk about the manner of diagnosis and when something becomes a pathology instead of an idiosyncrecy. A book that might be helpful for you in this area is 'Shadow Syndromes.' I don't remember the author but it is a very interesting book about the predilections of people whom the author believes have very slight ADD, anxiety disorder, etc. and their predilections and how they make their lives work. It even has a chapter on 'shadow' autism, that is extremely cool but may not be relevant to your topic. But some of these studies about improved abilities of the 'disabled' in certain areas are cited in there. But anyway- Good luck with this topic, maybe I can read your paper!

I am investigfating the implications of pharmacogenomics- the use of genome information in prescribing medications, and of course, medications tailored to one's particular genome. I feel that this brings up all sorts of issues such as the simple query- What is health? Won't everyone have something 'wrong' with them, in this model? What sorts of things will come to be classified as problewms when this comes into practice? I will also investigate some of the stuff we have been talking about in class such as who owns the genomic information and what sorts of practices could even begin to prevent the spreading of such info. I am looking mostly at websites (which are really scary and non-sequitorial for anyone interested) like HireHealth.com, but any sites or journals that anyone could suggest would be totally welcomed. Thanks a lot.

Hi Guelda,

On 12-4-02, I posted the same topic regarding pharmacogenomics and have already discussed the topics you intend to write about in my own paper.

If you intend to discuss pharmacogenomics, we could get together with Professor Doyle and ensure that our papers will not overlap topics.

:(

My post can be found on this page:

http://www.quicktopic.com/16/H/BTsZ4Gcn8Nb/p102.95

Rhetoric 174 Paper Response

Guelda,

Pharmacogenomics is indeed a serious area of study in the future. Many scientific and ethical implications are innate in this matter. One big area is the idea of accessibility and who will have the access. Have you thought about presenting a thought experiment through science fiction to illustrate where pharmacogenomics might lead in the future? It is always good to inform readers of the status quo, but at the same time predicting the direction of pharmacogenomics might another area you might want to tackle.

(In regards to CDC, they never replied back to my email.)