Stem Cell Research

The article Stem Cell research does too much good to be evil by Janet Rowley is an opinion article in the U.S News. She is arguing for increased funding and ability to do research on embryonic stem cells. Reaserches are currently able to use Pluripotent stem cells for research. This however is not as effective as embryonic stem cells because they can only produce a few types of tissues. However if we can derive these cells from patients with illnesses such as muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's, and juvenile diabetes, they could be used for research to try and better understand these conditions. Embryonic stem cells however, have the most potential for curing these currently un-curable conditions. Rowley is very in favor of stem cell research and supports it whole heatedly. she uses many examples to support her point. She states that there are currently many fertilized embryos at fertility clinics that cant be used and will be simply thrown away. Why couldn't we use those embryos to do some good, they are still perfectly suitable for research and will serve a much greater purpose that way than being thrown out. She also uses the example about how there are strict restrictions in the industry itself to make sure that everything is done ethically and correctly, and this would continue to happen with the new research. I agree with her. I believe that we should increase our stem cell research and use stem cells from aborted fetuses and the embryos from fertility clinics to do some good. Just discarding them doesn't do anyone any good and we have a real chance to make a difference to cure some of these conditions.

The author sets up the paper very well. The thesis and stance of the paper is clearly stated in the introduction and I did not feel like she was contradicting her self at any point in this paper. She lays out her main points very well and I did not feel lost at any point in the paper. She gives the reader suficant background information to understand the article and very clearly states her points. I thought this was a very good article. I like d how the author made very good points and she never wavered on the point she was trying to make. She also mixed her ethos in very well with her opinions. She uses the example of the value of human life and refutes it because the stem cells that would be used to do this research would come from embryos that will be discarded and would die anyway. It is stuff like that that I want to include in my paper. I want to find a good mix of ethos and facts. I also want to make sure that I am always supporting my point even when bringing up opposing views. This was a very good piece and I hope to use some of it in my paper.