Social Issues in Science and Technology: An Encyclopedia

by David E. Newton

Overview

A thought-provoking compendium exploring differing views, possible social impacts, and government policy decisions involving the impact of science and technology on human life.

Social Issues in Science and Technology explores the controversies involving the impact of science and technology on human life. Each entry provides the basic scientific background needed to understand the issue involved and its social, political, and economic implications. The coverage presents an unbiased summary of differing views, possible social impacts, and government policy decisions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780874369205
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/06/1999
Pages:	314
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.75(d)
Age Range:	14 Years

About the Author

David E. Newton is the author of more than 400 textbooks, encyclopedias, workbooks, and other educational materials, primarily in the field of science and math.

Read an Excerpt

Abortion

Perhaps the most basic issue involved in the abortion debate has to do with the question as to when life begins. Many people argue that life begins when a sperm penetrates an egg and causes fertilization. The fertilized egg, they say, has all the potential needed to grow into an embryo, a fetus, and eventually a baby. Destroying the fertilized egg at the very beginning of its existence or at any point in its development is the same as killing a human. It is an act of murder. Since the fertilized egg, the embryo, or the fetus cannot speak or act for itself, humans who oppose abortion must speak and act for it.

Other individuals feel that life does not begin until some later point in the development of a fertilized egg. That point may be designated as implantation, formation of certain organs within the fetus, spontaneous movement of the embryo (quickening), the ability of the fetus to live on its own outside the mother's body (viability), or some other point. Those who favor access to abortion may do so unconditionally, recommending that women alone should be able to decide at what stage an abortion should occur. Others who favor abortion believe that, except in the case of a medical emergency, the procedure should not be allowed after some given point, such as the moment of viability. In this debate, some will argue, the "rights" of two individuals may conceivably be involved, those of the mother and those of the fetus. In such a case, they suggest, the rights of the mother should prevail.

The Evolving Debate over Abortion

In the three decades since Roe v. Wade, abortion has become far more than a medical question involving a woman, her doctor, and perhaps her mate. It has become a political issue at the local, state, and national levels. It has become politically divisive within both parties, but more so within the Republican Party, where a Right to Life contingent has sought to make its views on abortion a "litmus test" for all party candidates. In the 1996 presidential political campaign, for example, the Christian Coalition suggested withholding financial contributions to Republican candidates who refused to oppose certain abortion proce- . dures. That proposal was not adopted by the Republican Party, however.

The debate over abortion continues to change and evolve over time. One reason for this is the intensity of feelings by those on both sides of the issues. Efforts by one person or one group to change minds by reasoned argument tend to be rare. By contrast, violent behavior that includes the murder of abortion providers and the bombing of abortion clinics tends to be more common.

Another factor in the evolution of the abortion debate has been progress in medical technology. Since 1973, a number of new techniques have become available that make abortion safer and easier at earlier stages of pregnancy. The distinctions between very early abortions and very late contraceptive measures have become more uncertain, with a consequent blurring of the debate over abortion itself.

Attitudes and Practices in the United States

Perhaps the two most important trends in abortion statistics are those concerning public attitudes and practices. With regard to the former, the division among those who support access to abortion and those who oppose such access has changed remarkably little since Roe v. Wade. In 1975, for example, 21 percent of all Americans interviewed in one survey agreed that abortion should be legal "under any circumstances." In 1997, the number who agreed with that position was 22 percent. In 1975, the number who felt that abortion should be legal under at least some circumstances was 54 percent. By 1997, that number had risen to 61 percent...

Table of Contents

Preface

Social Issues in Science and Technology

Abortion

Alar

Alternative Therapies

Anencephalic Babies

Animal Rights

Appropriate Technology

Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Barrier Islands

Behavior Modification

Biological Determinism

Biometric Identification

Bison

Bovine Somatotropin

Captive Breeding Programs

Cassini Spacecraft

Chemical Castration

Chernobyl

Chlorofluorocarbons

Clearcutting

Cloning

Cold Fusion

Conservation and Preservation

Creatine

Creationism

Criminality and Heredity

Cyclamates

DDT

Deicing Roads

Delaney Clause

DNA Fingerprinting

Dobson Unit

Drug Testing

Drug Testing in the Workplace

Early-Term Surgical Abortions

Echinacea

Electrical Stimulation of the Brain

Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy

Endangered Species Act

Environmental Justice

Ethanol as a Fuel

Eugenics

Euthanasia

Faith Healing

Feedlot Pollution

Fetal Tissue Research

Fluoridation

Formaldehyde

Genetic Testing

Genetically Manipulated Foods

Global Warming

Grazing Legislation

Halons

Hazardous Wastes, International Dumping

Headwaters Forest

Health Hazards of Electromagnetic Fields

HIV and AIDS

Homosexual Behavior

Human Experimentation

Human Gene Therapy

Human Genome Project

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons

Indoor Air Pollution

Intact Dilation Evacuation

IQ

Irradiation of Food

Kennewick Man

Legalization of Drugs

The Limits to Growth

Logging Roads

Masked Bobwhite Quail

Medical Uses of Marijuana

Mediterranean Fruit Fly

Methyl Bromide

Montreal Protocol

``Morning-After'' Pill

MTBE

Multiple Use/Sustained Yield

Nature versus Nurture

Needle Exchange Programs

Noise Pollution

Northwest Forest Plan

Nuclear Power Plants

Nuclear Wastes

Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear Winter

The Oceans

Olestra

Organ Transplantation

Ozone Depletion

Ozone Depletion Potential

Particle Accelerators

Pollutant Standard Index

Polybrominated Biphenyls

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Polygraph

Population

Prescribed Burn

Privacy and the Internet

Psychosurgery

Radon

Rain Forests

Research, Basic and Applied

Right to Die

Ritalin

RU486

Saccharin

Sagebrush Rebellion

Salton Sea

Savage Rapids Dam

Science and Religion

Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Secondhand Smoke

Slash-and-Burn

Sociobiology

Space Station

Sterilization, Human

Steroids

Stream Channelization

Superfund

Three Mile Island

Tris

Vitamins and Minerals

Water Rights

Wetlands

White Abalone

Wild Horses and Burros

Wildlife Management

Selected Bibliography

Index

Editorial Reviews

This is recommended for most college and public libraries for its good survey of a wide variety of issues.” —Library Journal

“An ambitious project that has been done very well. It would be an excellent addition to any reference collection.” —American Reference Books Annual

“For the timeliness and relatively low cost, this is a sure bet for a high school media reference collection. Students in all genres of study will be able to benefit from this book. . . . Recommended.” —The Book Report

“From alternative therapies to drug enforcement, euthanasia, and global warming, Social Issues in Science & Technology provides a fine balance of discussion on economic, political, scientific and social levels.” —The Bookwatch

From the Publisher

Each entry begins with a brief background of a development in science or technology; then describes the history of the social, economic, political, religious, ethical, or other issues it raised for the general society; and concludes with summaries of the various positions on the issues. They also include entry-specific bibliographies to augment the general one. The topics overlap somewhat with similar treatments of environmental problems, but the focus is on issues that are not so widely covered. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

This encyclopedia of social issues raised by advances in science explore numerous areas where new safety or ethical dilemmas have been raised; from criminal behavior and genes to animal rights, genetic implications of genetic research, and the economic instability of nuclear plants in this country. From alternative therapies to drug enforcement, euthanasia and global warming, Social Issues in Science & Technology provides a fine balance of discussion on economic, political, scientific and social levels.
—Internet Book Watch

Internet Book Watch