Thursday, June 7, 2007
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Dear Reader Letter
The biggest change in my life was to came the U.S. I came U.S. because I wanted to study about animals. In the future, I want to be a veterinarian and help suffering animals. In the U.S., technology in the animal medical field is better than Japan. So, I am studying science, and I will study biology a lot.
I had learned English in Japan, so I used to write some essays in English. But, English is my second language, so it is really hard to write, read, speak, and listen in English. At first, I started to adapt myself to English. I was afraid to study with Americans who speak English as their first language, but I think I did well in this class.
I'd heard from other students that this class is a good way to improve writing and reading skills, so I took this English 98. It was great. I guess my English is better than before because I did lots of reading and writing in a short time. It was my first time to finish reading a book written in English. Moreover, students in English 98 were very nice; they were kind, and they advised me or talked to me.
One of the hardest things that I did in English 98 was reading books. I wasn't used to read books in English. The two books, Touching the Void and Pursuit of Happyness, made me sleepy when I started to reading them. It was difficult to catch what the books said. But, reading did helped writing an essay in English. I learned new words, how to make strong expressions, and writing coherently. Although my English is still wordy and difficult to understand, I hope that my English skills have progressed.
In my e-portfolio, I have put three major writing assignments and a seminar paper because I took much time to finish these papers.
Thank you for reading my e-portfolio.
I had learned English in Japan, so I used to write some essays in English. But, English is my second language, so it is really hard to write, read, speak, and listen in English. At first, I started to adapt myself to English. I was afraid to study with Americans who speak English as their first language, but I think I did well in this class.
I'd heard from other students that this class is a good way to improve writing and reading skills, so I took this English 98. It was great. I guess my English is better than before because I did lots of reading and writing in a short time. It was my first time to finish reading a book written in English. Moreover, students in English 98 were very nice; they were kind, and they advised me or talked to me.
One of the hardest things that I did in English 98 was reading books. I wasn't used to read books in English. The two books, Touching the Void and Pursuit of Happyness, made me sleepy when I started to reading them. It was difficult to catch what the books said. But, reading did helped writing an essay in English. I learned new words, how to make strong expressions, and writing coherently. Although my English is still wordy and difficult to understand, I hope that my English skills have progressed.
In my e-portfolio, I have put three major writing assignments and a seminar paper because I took much time to finish these papers.
Thank you for reading my e-portfolio.
Intro to Pigs and Humans
The first paper that I have chosen for my e-portfolio is called "Humans and Pigs". This was the first major writing assignment in this class. The essay is a compare/contrast essay, so I compared humans to pigs. I put lots of information, which I got through my experience, into my essay. For example, "When I used to go to high school for agriculture, I took care of three pigs in each barn. They and their room were clean; they separated bedroom, feeder, and bathroom respectively. Pig's stalls were the easiest rooms of all barn animals' to take care of."
Pigs and Humans
Pigs are the most misunderstood animal all over the world! The reason is that even though people use pigs in several ways for example food, medical treatment, or companion animals, generally, “pig” is used as an insult. For instance, “you look like a pig” for a fat person. Another example is that Muslims regard the pig as an unclean animal. Frankly speaking, people are reluctant to compare humans and pigs; definitely, both of them differ in appearance. However, humans and pigs have some surprising similarities between internal organ, placenta, cleanness, and lovingness.
First of all, in the medical field, the resemblance is well known between humans’ and pigs’ internal organs. Internal organs of humans and pigs are alike not only in size, but also in physiology. If a pig’s insulin transferred to a human's body, he/she would not show rejection because the pig’s and the human's insulin are almost the same physically. Recently, the development of treatments for diabetes using pigs has been taking place among advanced nations. The sole medicine for diabetes is insulin; the insulin is made from a pig’s pancreas. In Washington University in 2004, an experiment took place for trying to find a cure for diabetes. The researchers took islets of Lanferhans, which are organs that secret insulin into the pig, and they transferred the islets of Lanferhans to a human’s body. Nowadays, people in the medical field have been trying to succeed in a new treatment called human islets transplantation. Furthermore, they have also been experimenting, not only with islets of Lanferhans, but also with livers and hearts for transplantation. Since 1950’s, the research about “specific pathogen free” has progressed to produce lots of pigs that are useful for humans’ medical treatments. Specific pathogen free is a term used for laboratory animals that are guaranteed free of particular pathogen. Because pigs’ and humans’ organs are similar, people has been trying to produce SPF.
In addition to the anatomical similarities between them, the placentas in both of humans and pigs are unexpectedly alike. The placenta includes amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, and minerals; as you can see, it is extremely nutritious. Because pig’s placentas are compatible with human’s, the extract from pig’s placenta is refined and used to make people strong, beautiful, and live longer. Furthermore, the placenta gives energy to weak cells in the body; therefore, it is instrumental in maintaining a healthy body condition, and is effective in allergy treatment. Even if people use the pig’s placenta, they can get a same effect that when they use humans’ placenta.
Most significantly, the pig is just as clean as humans are. People and pigs are both sleep and expel waste in different areas. In the case of pigs, it is consummately the same. As I mentioned before, some religious people hate pigs, seeing them as a dirty animal. However, they have misunderstood pigs. Pigs are much cleaner than other animals. For example, they decide where the bath room is, so they always expel waste in same place. Pigs never dirty their bed space. They usually soak in the mud, not to become dirty, but to cool their body because they do not have sweat gland. When I used to go to high school for agriculture, I took care of three pigs in each barn. They and their room were clean; they separated bedroom, feeder, and bathroom respectively. Pigs’ stalls were the easiest rooms of all barn animals’ to take care of.
One more similarity is that a pig is no less loving than a human. For example, pig babies head toward their mother for comfort; the mother brings up her babies with her singing. There is another case to show lovingness. People sometimes display miraculous ability for someone, especially their family or friends like rescuing them from danger; likewise, pigs show their courage for someone, especially their master in the same way. The example is that one pig, named Plue, saved his master from a pond. The news was reported in The Daily Telegraph, an English newspaper, and the pig was admired by many. They are friendly, loyal, loving; besides, it is probable that they might have strong emotions just as humans.
Despite humans and pigs having various similarities, some people do not want to agree with these. It happens because of people’s misunderstanding or misconception. However, positively speaking, the pig is a wonderful animal and is very human like.
First of all, in the medical field, the resemblance is well known between humans’ and pigs’ internal organs. Internal organs of humans and pigs are alike not only in size, but also in physiology. If a pig’s insulin transferred to a human's body, he/she would not show rejection because the pig’s and the human's insulin are almost the same physically. Recently, the development of treatments for diabetes using pigs has been taking place among advanced nations. The sole medicine for diabetes is insulin; the insulin is made from a pig’s pancreas. In Washington University in 2004, an experiment took place for trying to find a cure for diabetes. The researchers took islets of Lanferhans, which are organs that secret insulin into the pig, and they transferred the islets of Lanferhans to a human’s body. Nowadays, people in the medical field have been trying to succeed in a new treatment called human islets transplantation. Furthermore, they have also been experimenting, not only with islets of Lanferhans, but also with livers and hearts for transplantation. Since 1950’s, the research about “specific pathogen free” has progressed to produce lots of pigs that are useful for humans’ medical treatments. Specific pathogen free is a term used for laboratory animals that are guaranteed free of particular pathogen. Because pigs’ and humans’ organs are similar, people has been trying to produce SPF.
In addition to the anatomical similarities between them, the placentas in both of humans and pigs are unexpectedly alike. The placenta includes amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, and minerals; as you can see, it is extremely nutritious. Because pig’s placentas are compatible with human’s, the extract from pig’s placenta is refined and used to make people strong, beautiful, and live longer. Furthermore, the placenta gives energy to weak cells in the body; therefore, it is instrumental in maintaining a healthy body condition, and is effective in allergy treatment. Even if people use the pig’s placenta, they can get a same effect that when they use humans’ placenta.
Most significantly, the pig is just as clean as humans are. People and pigs are both sleep and expel waste in different areas. In the case of pigs, it is consummately the same. As I mentioned before, some religious people hate pigs, seeing them as a dirty animal. However, they have misunderstood pigs. Pigs are much cleaner than other animals. For example, they decide where the bath room is, so they always expel waste in same place. Pigs never dirty their bed space. They usually soak in the mud, not to become dirty, but to cool their body because they do not have sweat gland. When I used to go to high school for agriculture, I took care of three pigs in each barn. They and their room were clean; they separated bedroom, feeder, and bathroom respectively. Pigs’ stalls were the easiest rooms of all barn animals’ to take care of.
One more similarity is that a pig is no less loving than a human. For example, pig babies head toward their mother for comfort; the mother brings up her babies with her singing. There is another case to show lovingness. People sometimes display miraculous ability for someone, especially their family or friends like rescuing them from danger; likewise, pigs show their courage for someone, especially their master in the same way. The example is that one pig, named Plue, saved his master from a pond. The news was reported in The Daily Telegraph, an English newspaper, and the pig was admired by many. They are friendly, loyal, loving; besides, it is probable that they might have strong emotions just as humans.
Despite humans and pigs having various similarities, some people do not want to agree with these. It happens because of people’s misunderstanding or misconception. However, positively speaking, the pig is a wonderful animal and is very human like.
Intro to What is Individualism?
The second paper that I have chosen for my e-portfolio is called "What Is Individualism?". This was the second major writing assignment in this class. The essay is a definition essay, so I defined what individualism is. I also had some informations in this essay, and I wrote it using contrast between Japan and U.S. Before I wrote this essay, I used to write essay objectively. But, I could write an essay subjectively in this paper. And I wrote a good conclusion. It is that "Mainly speaking, although individualism seems to be selfish, it is made up of the group, the pursuit of happiness, and the responsibility. Individualism makes a society and life active more and more. One can not exist without the other, and any good society needs to implement both."
What is Individualism?
Individualism is a popular thought in Europe and America; Japan is also getting the thought of individualism although there is still groupthink there. Everyone should have their own ideas, so mentioning or telling other people the idea is very important. Whether good or bad, individualism is necessary to making a proper society.
An individual sparkles because he/she is in the group. An individual can not exist without the group. To establish individualism, an individualist needs the group. Individualism differs from egocentrism which is vain idea. That is to say, it is the thought which is formed with communicating with other people because it presumes the self-assertion and self-actualization. To observe or express something, listener should be there because people share their opinion. While they respect their opinion, they have their opinion each. Without a society, self-assertion and self-actualization cannot exist. Identity is not the difference between others, but when he does the same things as other, his identity would come out. As people communicate with each other, they can build self-control and moral. Individualism is a necessary idea to make a society. It is the thought which is formed by communicating with others actively. By the way, Japanese thought is a little different. In Japan there has been the concept of “Wa” (meaning: harmony) for a long time. Wa (harmony) emphasizes the aspiration to be one. To feel, see, think and live together rather than apart. Of course, although people are different individuals, it is best when they want the same thing. The unity and harmony of the group takes priority over individual responsibility, authority, or initiative. So, it is said that individualism brings the destruction of harmony (group) for Japanese.
Secondly, individualism’s purpose is the pursuit of happiness. Only he knows his own happiness; in other words, nobody knows what makes another’s happiness. For him, it is free to think what his own happiness is; therefore, in the individualism society, it is necessary to declare what happiness you want to pursue. However, in the pursuit of happiness, there are some lights and shadows because the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of desire in other words. The individualism society brought the development of science and industry as a part of lights; on the contrary, it brought the cultures’ decadence and environmental destruction as a part of shadows. Individualism is based on the energy that each person has. The essence of the energy is a desire, so there are various desires in individualism society. The money standards or material standards have replaced internal nobility or honorability as the standards of people’s sense of value. As a result, self-profit and self-desire would destroy the world. In order not to break down the world, a base of individualism should be established as a thought, and then people have to protect their everlasting peace and prosperity. Individualists have to treasure personal will and faith.
Individualism is a responsibility and a freedom. Most people imagine that there is a higher level of freedom in the U.S. because individualism exists there. In United States, it is natural that people have to decide what to do; on the contrary, in Japan, the culture or the custom dictate people’s decision. For example, in the wedding party, it is free that whether people in the U.S. invite their boss or not; on the other hand, people in Japan should invite their boss. Usually, underneath individualism society emphasizes freedom; individual freedom is our own responsibility. In Japan, there has been the joint responsibility instead of own responsibility. There are some proverbs which represent joint responsibility in Japan. For example, “To be in the same boat.” This means to join forces with somebody and act together. Likewise, there are also some sayings which represent individual responsibility in the U.S. For example, “Every man for himself.” This means that you take care of yourself first. Compared to Japanese, Americans have more “Every man for himself” attitude. Because individualists have our own responsibility each, they have a strong mind and self-sufficiency.
Mainly speaking, although individualism seems to be selfish, it is made up of the group, the pursuit of happiness, and the responsibility. Individualism makes a society and life active more and more. One can not exist without the other, and any good society needs to implement both.
An individual sparkles because he/she is in the group. An individual can not exist without the group. To establish individualism, an individualist needs the group. Individualism differs from egocentrism which is vain idea. That is to say, it is the thought which is formed with communicating with other people because it presumes the self-assertion and self-actualization. To observe or express something, listener should be there because people share their opinion. While they respect their opinion, they have their opinion each. Without a society, self-assertion and self-actualization cannot exist. Identity is not the difference between others, but when he does the same things as other, his identity would come out. As people communicate with each other, they can build self-control and moral. Individualism is a necessary idea to make a society. It is the thought which is formed by communicating with others actively. By the way, Japanese thought is a little different. In Japan there has been the concept of “Wa” (meaning: harmony) for a long time. Wa (harmony) emphasizes the aspiration to be one. To feel, see, think and live together rather than apart. Of course, although people are different individuals, it is best when they want the same thing. The unity and harmony of the group takes priority over individual responsibility, authority, or initiative. So, it is said that individualism brings the destruction of harmony (group) for Japanese.
Secondly, individualism’s purpose is the pursuit of happiness. Only he knows his own happiness; in other words, nobody knows what makes another’s happiness. For him, it is free to think what his own happiness is; therefore, in the individualism society, it is necessary to declare what happiness you want to pursue. However, in the pursuit of happiness, there are some lights and shadows because the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of desire in other words. The individualism society brought the development of science and industry as a part of lights; on the contrary, it brought the cultures’ decadence and environmental destruction as a part of shadows. Individualism is based on the energy that each person has. The essence of the energy is a desire, so there are various desires in individualism society. The money standards or material standards have replaced internal nobility or honorability as the standards of people’s sense of value. As a result, self-profit and self-desire would destroy the world. In order not to break down the world, a base of individualism should be established as a thought, and then people have to protect their everlasting peace and prosperity. Individualists have to treasure personal will and faith.
Individualism is a responsibility and a freedom. Most people imagine that there is a higher level of freedom in the U.S. because individualism exists there. In United States, it is natural that people have to decide what to do; on the contrary, in Japan, the culture or the custom dictate people’s decision. For example, in the wedding party, it is free that whether people in the U.S. invite their boss or not; on the other hand, people in Japan should invite their boss. Usually, underneath individualism society emphasizes freedom; individual freedom is our own responsibility. In Japan, there has been the joint responsibility instead of own responsibility. There are some proverbs which represent joint responsibility in Japan. For example, “To be in the same boat.” This means to join forces with somebody and act together. Likewise, there are also some sayings which represent individual responsibility in the U.S. For example, “Every man for himself.” This means that you take care of yourself first. Compared to Japanese, Americans have more “Every man for himself” attitude. Because individualists have our own responsibility each, they have a strong mind and self-sufficiency.
Mainly speaking, although individualism seems to be selfish, it is made up of the group, the pursuit of happiness, and the responsibility. Individualism makes a society and life active more and more. One can not exist without the other, and any good society needs to implement both.
Intro to Do We Really Need Animal Testing for the Medical Field?
The third paper that I have chosen for my e-portfolio is called "Do We Really Need Animal Testing for the Medical Field?". This was the last major writing assignment in the class. The essay is an argumentative essay, so I argued whether animal testing for the medical field is required or not. In the essay, I put lots of informations like my first and second essay. Because this topic is related to my future, I could write an essay using strong opinion. For example, "Animals, including humans, are able to feel pain and fairness, enjoy their lives, eat their favorite foods, and be satisfied. Actually, non-animal methods are the best way to develop the medical field."
Do We Really Need Animal Testing for the Medical Field?
Animal testing has proceeded worldwide for a long time. Nowadays, although the world has been changing so that some activities for animal experimentation cannot happen, still now most people think that animal testing for the medical field is important. It is false fundamentally because most human diseases are unique to us, and testing on other species is downright misleading. Animal experimentation is wrong and should be stopped.
Most people would say that if there is no way to find out a cure, they cannot help doing animal experimentations. Definitely, animal experimentation might have helped some disease which could not be cured, but animal experimentation is not as accurate and trusting as using computers or biochemical assays. There are some examples showing that animal testing is unethical and potentially harmful. Newstatesman, the UK current affairs magazine, argued why animal research is bad science; the following are instances. Despite having affirmed after seven years of animal research, the anti-rheumatic drug Opren killed 76 people in Britain and caused serious illness to 3,500 others. Likewise, after taking the diligent animal experimentation for the drug Eraldin, thousands of people with heart trouble suffered adversely. In the experiment, there was no one species that reacts to Eraldin in the same way as human do. These two medicines are only the tip of the ice burg, and examples can be found more often than one might think.
In addition to reliance on animal experimentation, people think that animals do not have rights or that animals do not have souls. In the speech given at the Edinburgh (Scotland) Book Festival, on August 19, 2002, Stuart Derbyshire said that “Animal never have any potential to do anything greater than their ancestors and direct contemporaries. Animals are not individual because while they may have distinct characteristics they lack the capacity to develop themselves and transform existence. In this sense, the value of animals is fixed such that it is always comparable to any other animal currently living, dead or projected into the future.” I personally think that it is human’s ego. Thinking or speaking is just few of human’s characteristics. Other animals also have special faculties. So, even though, human’s characteristics are great, human cannot dominate any animals. Today, what we most need in the world is a sincere love and sympathy. Therefore, people must agree that killing or injuring animals is not the best way for education. There are various ways to learn.
Scientists point out that drug therapies can have vastly different effects on different species. For instance, Strychnine kills people but not monkeys, and belladonna is deadly to humans yet harmless to rabbits. Then, what helps the development of the medical field except for animal testing? The answer is simple; there are lots of alternatives. Moreover these are more accurate and trusted than animal testing. For example, there are models and simulations, film and video, multimedia computer simulation, student self-experimentation, ethically-sourced animal cadavers, clinical practice, and in vitro labs. For medical and veterinary medical education, Digital Frog II, new interactive CD-ROM, includes living body module, anatomy module, and ecology module. This teaching material or any other model, simulator, video, and multimedia program can be used many times and these expense are efficient. According to Nick Jukes, a coordinator at InterNICHE which focuses on animal use and alternatives within biological science, new powerful software helps student and scientists understand structure and process efficiently; conventional animal experimentation seems to be poor. While these simulations can be limited to only anatomical studies, there are other sources to delve into for other processes. One such source is the clinical practice. The theory being the more experience the better the training if it is at the right level and the right time. ‘Problem-based learning’, related to real clinical cases, is recognized as a strong educational approach. Many veterinary colleges are already linked to veterinary clinics, providing an element of that field’s demands without experimentation on animals. This approach offers an education much closer in nature to the professional clinical practice that the student will either into after graduation. Not only the progress of technique but also the value of a life can be obtained through the clinical practice. Last example is in vitro labs. The use of animal tissue in some practicals can be replaced directly with plant material: for studying cell respiration or electron transport, mitochondria can be sourced either from yeast, potato or beet instead of the traditional rat liver, for example. Indeed, non-animal methods can be useful in the medical field.
Any kind of animals have various emotion as well as human do; therefore, the animal right is natural and respectable. Mahatma Gandhi said that “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated.” He was right. Animal rights have been getting important in the world. According to BBC news, on December 6, 2006, the Dutch raised animal rights to new levels, and then we can see Gandhi’s idea in action by observing the Dutch. Ms Thieme, a lawyer by training, was one of the founders of the Party for the Animals in November 2002. The party only narrowly missed winning a parliamentary seat in January 2003. Now it has made a breakthrough. Ms Thieme says “When I look at animals, they are innocent. We are treating them like they are things, like they are bicycles. That’s not what we have to be as human beings. We have common sense and moral awareness, so we have to use that as well.” Humans are also animals, so in spite of species differences, we have the same capacity for experience.
Some people may not possibly believe that animal research is bad, yet I do not need to get the information provided from cruel animal testing. Animals, including humans, are able to feel pain and fairness, enjoy their lives, eat their favorite foods, and be satisfied. Actually, non-animal methods are the best way to develop the medical field.
Websites
InterNICHE: www.interniche.org
AVA-net: http://www.ava-net.net/
NEWSTATESMAN: http://www.newstatesman.com/200408090013
Body Donation Programs: http://www.educationalmemorial.org/
PETA: http://www.peta.org/
Books
ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION
Animal Right
What Animals Want
Most people would say that if there is no way to find out a cure, they cannot help doing animal experimentations. Definitely, animal experimentation might have helped some disease which could not be cured, but animal experimentation is not as accurate and trusting as using computers or biochemical assays. There are some examples showing that animal testing is unethical and potentially harmful. Newstatesman, the UK current affairs magazine, argued why animal research is bad science; the following are instances. Despite having affirmed after seven years of animal research, the anti-rheumatic drug Opren killed 76 people in Britain and caused serious illness to 3,500 others. Likewise, after taking the diligent animal experimentation for the drug Eraldin, thousands of people with heart trouble suffered adversely. In the experiment, there was no one species that reacts to Eraldin in the same way as human do. These two medicines are only the tip of the ice burg, and examples can be found more often than one might think.
In addition to reliance on animal experimentation, people think that animals do not have rights or that animals do not have souls. In the speech given at the Edinburgh (Scotland) Book Festival, on August 19, 2002, Stuart Derbyshire said that “Animal never have any potential to do anything greater than their ancestors and direct contemporaries. Animals are not individual because while they may have distinct characteristics they lack the capacity to develop themselves and transform existence. In this sense, the value of animals is fixed such that it is always comparable to any other animal currently living, dead or projected into the future.” I personally think that it is human’s ego. Thinking or speaking is just few of human’s characteristics. Other animals also have special faculties. So, even though, human’s characteristics are great, human cannot dominate any animals. Today, what we most need in the world is a sincere love and sympathy. Therefore, people must agree that killing or injuring animals is not the best way for education. There are various ways to learn.
Scientists point out that drug therapies can have vastly different effects on different species. For instance, Strychnine kills people but not monkeys, and belladonna is deadly to humans yet harmless to rabbits. Then, what helps the development of the medical field except for animal testing? The answer is simple; there are lots of alternatives. Moreover these are more accurate and trusted than animal testing. For example, there are models and simulations, film and video, multimedia computer simulation, student self-experimentation, ethically-sourced animal cadavers, clinical practice, and in vitro labs. For medical and veterinary medical education, Digital Frog II, new interactive CD-ROM, includes living body module, anatomy module, and ecology module. This teaching material or any other model, simulator, video, and multimedia program can be used many times and these expense are efficient. According to Nick Jukes, a coordinator at InterNICHE which focuses on animal use and alternatives within biological science, new powerful software helps student and scientists understand structure and process efficiently; conventional animal experimentation seems to be poor. While these simulations can be limited to only anatomical studies, there are other sources to delve into for other processes. One such source is the clinical practice. The theory being the more experience the better the training if it is at the right level and the right time. ‘Problem-based learning’, related to real clinical cases, is recognized as a strong educational approach. Many veterinary colleges are already linked to veterinary clinics, providing an element of that field’s demands without experimentation on animals. This approach offers an education much closer in nature to the professional clinical practice that the student will either into after graduation. Not only the progress of technique but also the value of a life can be obtained through the clinical practice. Last example is in vitro labs. The use of animal tissue in some practicals can be replaced directly with plant material: for studying cell respiration or electron transport, mitochondria can be sourced either from yeast, potato or beet instead of the traditional rat liver, for example. Indeed, non-animal methods can be useful in the medical field.
Any kind of animals have various emotion as well as human do; therefore, the animal right is natural and respectable. Mahatma Gandhi said that “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated.” He was right. Animal rights have been getting important in the world. According to BBC news, on December 6, 2006, the Dutch raised animal rights to new levels, and then we can see Gandhi’s idea in action by observing the Dutch. Ms Thieme, a lawyer by training, was one of the founders of the Party for the Animals in November 2002. The party only narrowly missed winning a parliamentary seat in January 2003. Now it has made a breakthrough. Ms Thieme says “When I look at animals, they are innocent. We are treating them like they are things, like they are bicycles. That’s not what we have to be as human beings. We have common sense and moral awareness, so we have to use that as well.” Humans are also animals, so in spite of species differences, we have the same capacity for experience.
Some people may not possibly believe that animal research is bad, yet I do not need to get the information provided from cruel animal testing. Animals, including humans, are able to feel pain and fairness, enjoy their lives, eat their favorite foods, and be satisfied. Actually, non-animal methods are the best way to develop the medical field.
Websites
InterNICHE: www.interniche.org
AVA-net: http://www.ava-net.net/
NEWSTATESMAN: http://www.newstatesman.com/200408090013
Body Donation Programs: http://www.educationalmemorial.org/
PETA: http://www.peta.org/
Books
ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION
Animal Right
What Animals Want
Intro to Seminar Paper of Touching the Void
The fourth paper that I have chosen for my e-portfolio is a seminar paper of Touching the Void. Touching the Void was the first book that I read in English 98. After reading it, I wrote the seminar paper. In the paper, I selected the quote that I was interested in and I analyzed three quotes. Although I could have analyzed more, I was able to understand well what the quotes said.
For example "Simon had said nothing about what he would do, and I had been nervous to prompt him. In an instant an uncrossable gap had come between us and we were no longer a team working together.
(analysis)
This passage describes the situation when Joe confessed Simon that Joe’s leg was broken. Simon said to Joe nothing, and it made Joe anxiety. Joe could not say anything because he knew he had to give up his life. By instinct, Joe realized that his life would be end, and expected that their partnership would not continue anymore."
For example "Simon had said nothing about what he would do, and I had been nervous to prompt him. In an instant an uncrossable gap had come between us and we were no longer a team working together.
(analysis)
This passage describes the situation when Joe confessed Simon that Joe’s leg was broken. Simon said to Joe nothing, and it made Joe anxiety. Joe could not say anything because he knew he had to give up his life. By instinct, Joe realized that his life would be end, and expected that their partnership would not continue anymore."
Seminar Paper of Touching the Void
2. The quotes that I was interested in
#1: The knife! The thought came out of nowhere. Of course, the knife. Be quick, come on, get it. (Simpson 102)
#2: A burning, searing agony reached up from my leg. It was bent beneath me. As the burning increased so the sense of living became fact. Heck! I couldn’t be dead and feel that! It kept burning, and I laughed – Alive! Well, fuck me! – and laughed again, a real happy laugh. I laughed through the burning, and kept laughing hard, feeling tears rolling down my face. I couldn’t see what was so damned funny, but I laughed anyway. Crying and laughing at high pitch as something uncurled within me, something tight and twisted in my guts that laughed itself apart and left me. (Simpson 109)
#3: The rope which had been tight on my harness went slack. Simon was coming! He must know something had happened, I thought, but what shall I tell him? If I told him that I had only hurt my leg and not broken it, would that make him help me? My mind raced at the prospect of telling him that I was hurt. I pressed my face into the cold snow again and tried to think calmly. I had to cool it. If he saw me panicky and hysterical he might give up at once. I fought to stem my fears. Be rational about it, I thought. I felt myself calm down, and my breathing became steady; even the pain seemed tolerable. (Simpson 74)
#4: The change in me was astonishing. I felt invigorated, full of energy and optimism. I could see possible dangers, very real risks that could destroy my hopes, but somehow I knew I could overcome them. It was as if I had been given this one blessed chance to get out and I was grasping it with every ounce of strength left in me. A powerful feeling of confidence and pride swept over me as I realized how right I had been to leave the bridge. I had made the right decision against the worst of my fears. I had done it, and I was sure that nothing now could be worse than those hours of torture on the bridge. (Simpson 133)
#5: A wave of nausea surged over me. I pressed my face into the snow, and the sharp cold seemed to calm me. Something terrible, something dark with dread occurred to me, and as I thought about it I felt the dark thought break into panic: ‘I’ve broken my leg, that’s it. I’m dead. Everyone said it . . . if there’s just two of you a broken ankle could turn into a death sentence . . . if it’s broken . . . if . . . It doesn’t hurt so much, maybe I’ve just ripped something.’ (Simpson 72)
3. Analyzed quotes
The knife was in my sack. It took an age to let go a hand and slip the strap off my shoulder, and then repeat it with the other hand. I braced the rope across my thigh and held on to the plate with my right hand as hard as I could. Fumbling at the catches on the rucksack, I could feel the snow slowly giving way beneath me. Panic threatened to swamp me. I felt in the sack, searching desperately for the knife. My hand closed round something smooth and I pulled it out. The red plastic handle slipped in my mitt off with my teeth. I had already made the decision. There was no other option lest to me. The metal blade stuck to my lips when I opened it with my teeth. (Simpson 102-103)
This passage describes the situation until he cut off the rope which was connected Joe and Simon. At that time, Simon was afraid to do what he was going to do; however, he had no choice but to cut off the rope. He could not think anything in the panic. Cutting off the rope was all he thought.
This scene was just fatal to their doom. They expresses about a feeling of Simon who is going to abandon Joe who is the partner Simon had climbed together for about a week.
I was really frightened of was losing a sign of life in the empty bowl of mountains surrounding me. (Simpson 147)
This passage describes Joe’s feeling when he realized a fear of lonesome death. The enormous mountain caused him incalculable solitude. Because in the mountain, he realized how his existence was small, therefore, he felt lonely more and more.
Simon had said nothing about what he would do, and I had been nervous to prompt him. In an instant an uncrossable gap had come between us and we were no longer a team working together. (Simpson 75)
This passage describes the situation when Joe confessed Simon that Joe’s leg was broken. Simon said to Joe nothing, and it made Joe anxiety. Joe could not say anything because he knew he had to give up his life.
By instinct, Joe realized that his life would be end, and expected that their partnership would not continue anymore.
#1: The knife! The thought came out of nowhere. Of course, the knife. Be quick, come on, get it. (Simpson 102)
#2: A burning, searing agony reached up from my leg. It was bent beneath me. As the burning increased so the sense of living became fact. Heck! I couldn’t be dead and feel that! It kept burning, and I laughed – Alive! Well, fuck me! – and laughed again, a real happy laugh. I laughed through the burning, and kept laughing hard, feeling tears rolling down my face. I couldn’t see what was so damned funny, but I laughed anyway. Crying and laughing at high pitch as something uncurled within me, something tight and twisted in my guts that laughed itself apart and left me. (Simpson 109)
#3: The rope which had been tight on my harness went slack. Simon was coming! He must know something had happened, I thought, but what shall I tell him? If I told him that I had only hurt my leg and not broken it, would that make him help me? My mind raced at the prospect of telling him that I was hurt. I pressed my face into the cold snow again and tried to think calmly. I had to cool it. If he saw me panicky and hysterical he might give up at once. I fought to stem my fears. Be rational about it, I thought. I felt myself calm down, and my breathing became steady; even the pain seemed tolerable. (Simpson 74)
#4: The change in me was astonishing. I felt invigorated, full of energy and optimism. I could see possible dangers, very real risks that could destroy my hopes, but somehow I knew I could overcome them. It was as if I had been given this one blessed chance to get out and I was grasping it with every ounce of strength left in me. A powerful feeling of confidence and pride swept over me as I realized how right I had been to leave the bridge. I had made the right decision against the worst of my fears. I had done it, and I was sure that nothing now could be worse than those hours of torture on the bridge. (Simpson 133)
#5: A wave of nausea surged over me. I pressed my face into the snow, and the sharp cold seemed to calm me. Something terrible, something dark with dread occurred to me, and as I thought about it I felt the dark thought break into panic: ‘I’ve broken my leg, that’s it. I’m dead. Everyone said it . . . if there’s just two of you a broken ankle could turn into a death sentence . . . if it’s broken . . . if . . . It doesn’t hurt so much, maybe I’ve just ripped something.’ (Simpson 72)
3. Analyzed quotes
The knife was in my sack. It took an age to let go a hand and slip the strap off my shoulder, and then repeat it with the other hand. I braced the rope across my thigh and held on to the plate with my right hand as hard as I could. Fumbling at the catches on the rucksack, I could feel the snow slowly giving way beneath me. Panic threatened to swamp me. I felt in the sack, searching desperately for the knife. My hand closed round something smooth and I pulled it out. The red plastic handle slipped in my mitt off with my teeth. I had already made the decision. There was no other option lest to me. The metal blade stuck to my lips when I opened it with my teeth. (Simpson 102-103)
This passage describes the situation until he cut off the rope which was connected Joe and Simon. At that time, Simon was afraid to do what he was going to do; however, he had no choice but to cut off the rope. He could not think anything in the panic. Cutting off the rope was all he thought.
This scene was just fatal to their doom. They expresses about a feeling of Simon who is going to abandon Joe who is the partner Simon had climbed together for about a week.
I was really frightened of was losing a sign of life in the empty bowl of mountains surrounding me. (Simpson 147)
This passage describes Joe’s feeling when he realized a fear of lonesome death. The enormous mountain caused him incalculable solitude. Because in the mountain, he realized how his existence was small, therefore, he felt lonely more and more.
Simon had said nothing about what he would do, and I had been nervous to prompt him. In an instant an uncrossable gap had come between us and we were no longer a team working together. (Simpson 75)
This passage describes the situation when Joe confessed Simon that Joe’s leg was broken. Simon said to Joe nothing, and it made Joe anxiety. Joe could not say anything because he knew he had to give up his life.
By instinct, Joe realized that his life would be end, and expected that their partnership would not continue anymore.
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