Ethics: The Underpinning of Individual Identity and Decision-Making in Society
Every decision made by an individual has moral reasoning behind it that has been influenced by culture and society. This moral reasoning is known as ethics and traces back to the early ages of humanity. While the exact origin of ethics is hard to pinpoint, the first signs of this moral awareness trace back to the middle Paleolithic period in Eurasia, where burial sites were found, showing that early humans recognized death and the weight behind it. This ability to recognize consequences and shape our decisions around possible outcomes is what separates us from other animals and what makes our society so unique.
The ability that humans hold to build a moral compass based on their religious background, culture, or even peers is what influences our society as a whole. Each person holds a unique set of morals that separates them from the rest of their community. This set of standards is what shapes an individual, driving them to make certain decisions that could affect their entire life. It is important to acknowledge these sets of standards as they influence the people we choose to build relationships with, the religion we practice, the diets we eat, along with every little aspect that defines us as a person. The standards that we create for ourselves trace back to the people we surround ourselves with, the education we seek, as well as the environment we grew up in. This set of ethics that we build for ourselves eventually becomes an important part of our lives as it eventually drives our decisions in the work field. This is especially true with those that choose a path involving biotechnology.
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Examining the Importance of Ethics in our Daily Life: Decisions and Dilemmas in Biotechnology
Biotechnology and the subjects that surround it are constantly testing the moral standards of the person that chooses to practice this pathway. Certain subjects such as euthanasia, animal research, and vaccines are only a few of the controversial topics that those practicing a career in this field have to face every day. Veterinarians, Doctors, researchers, and various other careers in this pathway require an individual to work with these topics and test their moral compass every day. It is when a person is asked to participate, express their opinion, or even educate a peer, client, or patient that they must stand their ground on their beliefs and hope to make the right choice or even help another individual build their own opinion on these sensitive topics. It is because of this that ethics is such an important part of society as well as for each person.
The way that ethics influences a person to make certain decisions in their professional career ultimately ends up affecting research, patient health, agriculture, and the future of medicine. Many individuals can benefit from testing and research, but this can only be done by those whose moral compass allows them to research certain animals or aspects such as genetics. In the medical and veterinary field ending patient suffering comes with the burden of living with the choice to euthanize, yet sometimes this is in the best interest of the animal or human. Vaccines have been proven to benefit those who receive them, but there are still skeptics that say they do more harm than good. Opinions like these are what help make decisions that can either benefit or harm those involved in the process. While these situations can have a drastic effect on the fields that they impact, they are still issues that need to be addressed and dealt with by the very few that have strong enough morals to justify their decisions.
The Evolution and Lasting Impact of Ethics: Shaping Individuals and the Future of Biotechnology
Ethics can be traced back to our early ancestors and has continued to play a large role in the lives of modern society. Its importance continues to grow as our conscious minds make it a priority in daily life as well as the professional field. The choices that have shaped each individual continue to influence their willingness to heal, research, and make new breakthroughs every day for the various careers that occupy the biotechnology field. These subjects are constantly changing, and as they do, they put ethics to the test time and time again. It is because of this influence and potential to change lives that ethics will continue to influence each new generation. The challenges that test our ethics every day are but only a part of who we have become and who we will continue to develop.
References:
- Smith, J. (2023). Ethics in Biotechnology: A New Frontier. Journal of Bioethics, 14(2), 23-45.
What Is Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw And Tragic Flaws In Christopher Nolan’s Batman
Introduction
Aristotle recognized six fundamental elements of being a tragic hero, three of these elements being Hamartia, Anagnorisis, and Catharsis. A pair of fictional characters that possess these traits are Macbeth and Batman, also known as Bruce Wayne. Both Macbeth and Batman experience a tragic flaw, yet they do not experience the same one. Macbeth’s tragic flaw is that he is too ambitious, while Batman’s flaw is his obsessiveness. Their shortcomings are both major plots in their stories and help build upon the climax.
Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw: Ambition
As a result of Macbeth’s ambition, he gets persuaded by evil to do things he would never have done at the beginning of the story: such as killing the king to obtain his power and hiring murderers to kill his best friend to maintain that power. Throughout the play, Macbeth experiences circumstances, such as encounters with the witches, that send him into a quick spiral of madness. After receiving the prophecy of becoming king, Macbeth is persuaded by his wife, Lady Macbeth, to murder the king and ensure that the prediction comes true. After Macbeth murders King Duncan, he claims he hears voices and instantly feels remorse. In Act 2 Scene 2, he states: ‘I thought I heard a voice cry sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep’ This is just the beginning of his descent into madness. As the story continues, his insanity becomes evident to both the reader and the characters in the play. His guilty conscience creeps upon him and pushes him past the breaking point. So past the point of return, he doesn’t even bat an eye when receiving news of his wife’s suicide. His ambition is also what eventually leads to his death. After he speaks to the three ghosts summoned by the witches, he becomes excessively overconfident and believes Macduff cannot kill him since he is a woman born. But in a comedic turn of events, Macduff turns out to be birthed from a c-section and can kill Macbeth. In the end, his ambition led him to his demise.
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Batman’s Tragic Flaw: Obsessiveness
Batman’s tragic flaw is how obsessed he becomes. Since the death of his parents, Bruce becomes infatuated with protecting the streets of Gotham and seeking justice. He is obsessed to the point that he isolates himself from the people he cares about most. His unwillingness to admit that there is a problem or attempt to solve it, combined with his tendency towards violence, makes him suffer internally. He has seen the worst of humanity, both as Bruce Wayne and Batman, and it has made him cynical and distrustful. He is frightened to let people in, fearing they will be hurt or killed because of him. And while this isolation allows him to think and solve crimes more efficiently, it leaves him lonely and unhappy. However, Batman uses his setbacks to overcome his weaknesses. As shown in Batman’s The Dark Knight when Bruce Wayne says in response to Alfred, ‘Bats frighten me. It’s time my enemies shared that dread.’ Bruce uses what frightens him the most to mask that fear and seek justice. He uses his power to do good and help the city of Gotham, unlike how Macbeth chooses to use his authority.
Conclusion: Contrasting Approaches to Power
Macbeth and Batman differ in one obvious way, how they use their power. Macbeth uses his authority as the newly titled Thane of Cawdor to get close to the king and strike. Even if it means killing people who might stand in his way, he will do whatever it takes to become king. In contrast, Batman uses his power for good and to help others, even to his detriment.
References
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Nagel, James. “The Tragic Hero: In Defense of Batman.” Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 46, no. 3, 2013, pp. 601-615. DOI: 10.1111/jpcu.12021.
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Idrees Ibrahim. “The Tragic Flaws of Macbeth: A Psychological Perspective.” International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, vol. 4, no. 3, 2015, pp. 1-7.