Observing Bacteria Essay Example for Free

Observing Bacteria Essay Abstract: Microscopes are fragile instruments that must be handle with extreme caution as they can produce high quality results when observing the smallest specimens on earth. A microscope must be properly cleaned before use and storage. The different objectives allow for a range of observations. At the highest objectives, the resolution can easily be lost which is why the oil immersion lens is used to minimize refraction. While observing specimens, both dead and active, their shapes and arrangements can be observed. For example, the oil immersion lens can be used to observe the active Streptobacillus bacteria in yogurt. Purpose: The purpose of this lab was to display knowledge of the use of a compound microscope with and without an oil immersion lens while observing and identifying various bacterial shapes and arrangements, including a self prepared yogurt culture. Procedure: Exercise 1: Viewing Prepared Slides 1. After setting up and cleaning all lenses, place the prepared e slide properly on the stage. 2. View the slide under the10x objective by moving it around with the X and Y stage travel knobs then focus it by first using the coarse adjustment followed by the fine adjustment until the view is clear. 3. Adjust the diaphragm to allow enough light for good resolution. 4. After a micrograph is taken, rotate the 10x objective away from the specimen and the 40x over it. Use the fine adjustment knob to bring the specimen back into focus. 5. Repeat the above steps for 6 more specimens. Those viewed and micrographed in this lab are: Amoeba Anabaena Ascaris eggs Paramecium Yeast Penicillium Part 2 of Exercise 1: 1. View 6 more prepared slides by using the oil immersion lens. Follow steps 1-5 above to locate, center, and focus each slide at 10x and 40x. 2. Then swing the 40x objective to its half way position with the 100x objective nearing the slide. 3. Add a drop of provided oil to the slide cover’s surface and slowly swing the 100x objective over. 4. Using the fine adjustment knob bring the specimen into focus and take a micrograph. 5. Repeat this process for 5 more specimens. Those that were micrograph in this lab were: Bacillus Coccus Spirillium Prepared Yogurt Exercise 2: Observing Bacteria Cultures in Yogurt 1. Using a clean sealable glass jar, place a teaspoon of yogurt in the container. 2. Cover the jar and place in a dark, relatively warm areas fro 12-24 hours. 3. Place a sample of the yogurt specimen in a clean slide using a toothpick and cover with a cover slip. 4. Repeat the above steps for viewing the slide at the 10x, 40x, and 100x oil immersion with the microscope. Keep the diaphragm low, as the bacteria will be transparent. 5. Repeat the viewing process with the prepared yogurt slide from the lab kit. Compare the two specimens. 6. Clean all items used in this lab: specimen vials, slides, and microscope. Carefully cover and store microscope. Data/Observation: Specimens observed in Exercise 1 Part 1 with the 10x objective: Amoeba Proteus at 100x Anabaena w.m. at 100x Ascaris Eggs, w.m. at 100x Paramecium Conjugation at 100x Yeast, w.m. at 100x Pencillium with conidia, w.m. at 100x Specimens observed in Exercise 1 Part 2 Exercise 2 with the 40x objective: Bacteria Bacillus form at 400x Bacteria Coccus form at 400x Bacteria Spirillum form at 400x Yoghurt Bacteria at 400x Fresh Yogurt Specimen at 400x Specimens observed in Exercise 2 with the 100x Oil Immersion Fresh Yogurt Specimen at 1000x Results/Analysis: A. Identify the following parts of the microscope and describe the function of each. A. Eyepiece lens B. Tube C. Nosepiece D. Objective Lens E. Stage F. Diaphragm G. Mirror H. Coarse Adjustment knob I. Fine Adjustment knob J. Arm K. Clip L. Base B. Define the following microscopy terms: Focus: The point at which the light from a lens comes together. Resolution: The closest two objects can be before they are no longer detected as separate objects. Contrast: The difference in light intensity between the image and the adjacent background relative to the overall background intensity. C. Describe your observations from the fresh yogurt slide you prepared in Exercise 2. D. Were there observable differences between your fresh yogurt slide and the prepared yogurt slide? If so, explain. CD: Observation of the prepared slide was made easier by the purple staining and the dead bacteria. The observation of the fresh specimen was harder to see in a focused manner because it continued to move. The prepared slide is an obvious Bacillus bacterium. While the fresh sample is harder to focus so it is not as easily observed as Bacillus bacterium. There are more bacteria present in the fresh specimen than in the prepared slide. E Describe the four main bacterial shapes. Cocci: a spherically shaped bacterium Bacillus: a rod shaped bacterium Spirillum: spirally shaped bacterium Vibrio: comma or S shaped bacteria F. What are the common arrangements of bacteria? Cocci: occurring as a single sphere Diplococci: occurring as spheres in pairs Streptococci: chains of linked spheres Staphylococci: spheres grouped in grape like clusters Bacillus: a single rod arrangement Diplobacillus: pairs of rods Streptobacillus: Chain-linked rods G. Were you able to identify specific bacterial morphologies on either yogurt slide? If so, which types? In both samples Streptobacilluss arrangements and shapes were observed. They were more prevalent and easy to distinguish in the prepared slide since that bacteria was not actively moving. At times the fresh specimen at 400x looked like Staphylococci; however, upon observing the bacteria closer at 1000x it was obvious that there were no sphere shaped bacterium present. H. What is the purpose of immersion oil? Why does it work? Normally, the quality of an observed specimen decreases with the number of lenses, glass, etc that the light travels through. With the oil immersion lens, one of the strongest microscope lenses at 100x, the oil restricts the light refraction allowing for a clear focused image at such a high resolution. The oil mixes with the specimen and the oil itself has the same refractive index to that of glass. This gives the specimen a finer resolution and brightness than would have otherwise been observed. Conclusion: In conclusion this lab taught one how to properly use, clean, and store compound microscope. The lab assessed the ability to observe a specimen both provided and freshly prepared with and without an oil immersion lens. This allowed for hands on learning, observation, and identification of various bacterial shapes and arrangements. One was able to extended his/her learning while ageing yogurt and making a fresh specimen on a slide to be observed at all objectives with and without oil.

Political conditions of the Cold War Era Essay Example for Free

Political conditions of the Cold War Era Essay The Cold War is increasingly treated as a historical period that customarily begins in 1947, when the Truman Doctrine sought to contain communism and the expansion of Soviet influence, and ends with the decline and fall of the Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc in the late 1980s. My thoughts are that this event occurred after war world II between the Soviet Union and the United States of America due to a conflict about political, ideological, military, and economic values because the United States was capitalist when the Soviet Union was communist. During this time there was a fair that they were going to destroy each other with the arsenals of gigantic artillery. Germany was separated into 4 sections controlled by Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union and the United States and the Cold war started because there was a disagreement on unifying Germany. There were events that happened during the cold war the first was the foreign aid policies, which were able to divide the superpowers after that treaty organizations and alliances started forming up again one of these alliances was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as the Warsaw pact. The superpower were always involved in a conflict the mayor political crisis was that Soviet blockade on Western Berlin they block off supply routes to Western Berlin so the people were dying because they did not have how to cover the firs needs. Another conflict was the Cuban missile crisis it was the closest the world ever came to all-out nuclear war. Following the first sightings of the missiles being placed by Soviets, additional Russian vessels were seen heading towards Cuba carrying more missile components. Thus began what became known as â€Å"the 13 days,† a period of extremely high tension in which the Kennedy administration tried to find a way to get the missiles out of Cuba without starting World War III. Kennedy and his advisers had to walk a very tight line in order to achieve that end. In the end, Kennedy followed the path of Presidents Truman and Eisenhower as a leader determined to prevent the further spread of Communism in the world by all reasonable means. He had campaigned on the issue of a missile gap  between United States and the Soviet Union, and even his plan to place a man on the moon in the decade of the 1960s was, to a large extent, aimed at defeating the Russians in space. The military implications were obvious. It was during Kennedys administration that the most dangerous point in the Cold War was reached: the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. http://www.academicamerican.com/postww2/coldwar.html Presidents and Prime Ministers on either side came and went but the war never ended. Every President of the United States took the war personally as a Commander in Battle and it became a competition of who would do better. Finally, it was the Republican George W. Bush who called the final shots and that too because Mikhael Gorbachev backed down. http://www.historyking.com/World-War/cold-war/Summary-Of-The-Cold-War.html Explain the specific threats to American citizens One threat that is becoming more severe in the post-Cold War world is the proliferation of chemical, biological, nuclear, and missile technology. The probability of a retaliatory strike on the U.S. homeland by rogue states or terrorist groups using such weapons, however, can be reduced by ending unneeded and provocative U.S. military intervention abroad. Politicians of both parties often tapped into that fear and ran for office based on how strong they would be against communists. Fighting communism always involved the threat of nuclear war since both the U.S. and Soviet Union had nuclear weapons trained on each other. President Dwight Eisenhowers military plan relied on nuclear stockpiles rather than land forces. He hoped the threat of nuclear destruction would restrain the Soviets. http://www.tn4me.org/minor_cat.cfm/minor_id/23/major_id/10/era_id/8 Describe the preparations you would make to protect your family Those are my thoughts , it is important to have things that are going to be necessaries to survive in this situation as water medical and food the family can survive if they go to the close shelter they usually have a wonderful staff to help those who need them. It s important to keep the medication close and accessible. Conclude with one question for further study on the Cold War era What effect did the Cold War have on the political, economic, social, and  military conditions of the world’s nations? Conclusion Cold War as a period which began with the rivalities of the superpowers The effort to contain communism and capitalism (and covertly subvert the other), however, entailed a larger containment or channeling of the flow of possible change in various areas of political, social, and cultural life within its political imagination. The Cold War rivalry sustained an equilibrium which tended to freeze not only the power relations between hegemonic and client states but also the political contours of nation-states in the two camps backed by economic inducements, military power, and nuclear threat.

Metaphor And Theme Of David Copperfield English Literature Essay

Metaphor And Theme Of David Copperfield English Literature Essay The aim of this thesis is to study the metaphor and theme of David Copperfield written by Charles Dickens for understanding of this novel. 2. Introduction to Charles Dickens and David Copperfield Charles Dickens, the most popular writer of the Victorian age, was born near Portsmouth, England, in 1812 and he died in Kent in 1870. When his father was thrown into debtors prison, young Charles was taken out of school and forced to work in a shoe-polish factory, which may help explain the presence of so many abandoned and victimised children in his novels. As a young man, he worked as a reporter before starting his career as a fictional writer in 1833. In his novels, short stories and essays, Dickens combined hilarious comedy with a scathing criticism of the inhuman features of Victorian industrial society. Many of his novels Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, etc., have been made into first-rate TV and film versions. David Copperfield is the story of the narrators life from early childhood to adulthood. In it, David describes all the obstacles he had to overcome in order to acquire peace of mind and economic stability. Chapters 1-2: David enjoys a happy childhood with his mother and her faithful servant, Peggotty, until his mother marries again and proves powerless to protect him from the cruelty of his stepfather, Mr. Murdstone. Chapters 3-4: Mr. Murdstone sends David to a boarding school in London where he makes friends with Steerforth and Traddles. When Davids mother and his baby brother die, David is sent to work at Mr. Quinions business. Chapters 5-6: While he works at the wine-bottling business David stays at Mr. Micawbers house but when the latter leaves London, owing to his debts, David decides to go in search of his only relative, Miss Trotwood, whom he finds in Dover. Davis is sent to school again and becomes a great friend of Agnes Wickfields, at whose house he stays when hes not at school. Chapters 7-8: After finishing school David goes to Yarmouth to visit Peggotty, who has married Mr. Barkis. There, he meets Steerforth who seems upset that Emily, Mr. Peggottys niece, is marrying her friend Ham. At Mr. Spenlows, with whom David is going to study law, he falls in love with Dora, his daughter. Chapters 9-10: David arrives at Yarmouth after Mr. Barkiss death. There he hears that Emily has run off with Steerforth. Mr. Peggotty is devastated and starts searching for her. Back in London David proposes to Dora and is accepted. Chapters 11-12: When Miss Trotwood informs David that she has lost all her money, all his plans collapse. He starts learning shorthand to find a good job in order to be able to marry Dora. In the meantime, Uriah Heep, a disgusting man who lives with the Wickfields, wants to marry Agnes. Mr. Peggotty keeps looking for Emily. Chapters 13-14: David and Dora marry thanks to the money he has earned by writing stories. Dora proves to be a very incompetent housewife, but David loves her all the same. Mr Peggotty hears that Emily has left Steerforth and asks an old friend of hers, Martha Endells, to look for her in London. Martha locates Emily and Mr Peggotty decides to emigrate to Australia with her and the Micawbers, now that Mr Micawber has got rid of Uriah Heep and exposed him as a thief. Chapters 15-16: Dora falls ill and dies and, in Yarmouth, a terrible storm kills Ham and Steerforth. Moreover, all the rest of Davids friends, except for Miss Peggotty and Traddles, leave for Australia. David travels abroad to try to forget Dora but he falls ill and returns to England. David eventually marries Agnes, who had always loved him, has five children and becomes a famous writer. 3. Metaphor analysis 3.1 Devils and angels The novel has a clear-cut moral structure, whereby the good characters are clearly distinguishable from the bad characters and on the whole, good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. 3.2 Predatory animals Images of predatory animals are used to convey cruelty, destructiveness, opportunism, and exploitation of other people. In Chapter XXVI, Uriah is described as being like a great vulture: gorging himself on every syllable that I said to Agnes, or Agnes said to me. In similar vein, in Chapter XXXIX, Uriah and his mother are like two great bats hanging over the whole house. In Chapter XLVIII, David gives up trying to improve Doras mind, fearing that if he continues, he will degenerate into the spider again, and be for ever lying in wait. There is an implicit reference to Mr. Murdstone, who acted in just such a predatory and cruel way with Davids mother 3.3 Symbols 4. Theme analysis 4.1 The abuse of power David Copperfield examines those who have power over the weak, and finds that they often abuse it. Davids first experience of this is as a child, when a kind and gentle authority figure, his mother, is supplanted by cruel authority figures, the Murdstones. The Murdstones stop Davids education and send him to work in a factory, where he is unhappy, poor, and hungry. Mr. and Miss Murdstone crush Clara Copperfields spirit, make her ill, and arguably are responsible for her death all under the pretence of improving her mind and firmness of character. There is an interesting parallel to this episode in Davids marriage to Dora. Dora is similar to Clara Copperfield in her childlike nature and unfitness for housekeeping, and David at first tries to form her mind by teaching her aspects of housekeeping and educating her. However, this only makes her miserable and defensive, and David, unlike the Murdstones, is sensitive and caring enough to notice this and stop trying to change his wife. By providing a parallel situation with a different outcome, Dickens shows that everyone has a choice about how they exercise their power, and that it is the responsibility of the powerful to treat the powerless with kindness and understanding. 4.2 The importance of kindness and charity In David Copperfield, Dickens portrays many types of human suffering: for example, poverty, child labor, social disgrace, and betrayal by friends and loved ones. While he does not suggest ways to systematically reform society to lessen these abuses, he does put forward an antidote on the individual level. He emphasizes the vital importance of kindness and charity that is given without thought of return. Such acts are nevertheless generally rewarded, as a kindness given inspires a kindness in return. 4.3. Equality within marriage In Chapter XLV of David Copperfield, Annie Strong says, There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose. The novel emphasizes the importance of this kind of equality within a marriage, though Dickens was not so progressive as to embrace modern notions of equality, where neither partner has authority over the other. While Annie and Dr. Strong love, respect, and honor each other, Annie has no objection to kneeling before her husband as a sign that she submits to his authority. Dr. Strong does not abuse his authority, but always treats Annie with gentleness and compassion. Conclusion

Gloria Naylors Mama Day Essay -- Gloria Naylor Mama Day

Gloria Naylor's Mama Day In 1988 Gloria Naylor wrote the novel Mama Day in hopes to show the world that one can either accept the hand they are dealt and make it come out to the advantage of themselves and others, or one can hide from their pain and live a life scared of what may come in the future. Mama Day is set on an island off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia that is inhabited by the descendants of a slave population. The main characters in the novel; Ophelia, Abigail and Miranda, also called Mama Day, all experienced a lot of pain in their lives; it is how they chose to deal with their experiences that sets them apart from each other. Abigail Day is an older member of the Willow Springs' community, sister to Miranda, and grandmother to Cocoa. Instead of embracing the pain Abigail experienced through out her life and turning it into something positive for herself and others, she tried to change the past, and that only left her with more pain. Abigail was the middle child of three sisters. When Peace her younger sister fell in a well, their father and mother became distant with each other and in the end her mother threw herself off a cliff because she could not deal with the pain. When talking about her mother Miranda says, â€Å"Mother hardly cooked at all. And later she didn’t eat much. Later she didn’t do nothing but sit in that rocker†¦ Too much sorrow†¦much too much. And I was too young to give [her] peace. Even Abigail tried and failed†(243). When Abigail was younger her father carved wood and â€Å"Abigail, [tried] to form with flesh what her daddy couldn’t form from wood†(262). Her whole childhood was spent trying to make up for her sister’s death. After her mother’s death, Abigail still tried to giv... ...nted it to. Mama Day tells Bernice, â€Å"Folks say I can do things that most can’t do. Whether that’s true or not, I am willing to help you†(87). Mama Day devised a plan to help Bernice keep her body busy and her mind off of getting pregnant. All the people of Willow Springs admired the weight that Bernice put on and the strength she was developing. When these tactics did not work Mama Day promised to go to the Other Place and help Bernice in a way that Bernice would have to keep a secret forever. Mama Day was the wisest of the three women. She realized that there had been a lot of pain in her life and her family’s history, but she took the pain and turned it into something positive for herself and those around her. She didn’t try to change it like Abigail or ignore it like Cocoa. She embraced it, and helped to change the lives of many people because of it.

Government and Politics - Cultural Purification and Discriminatory English Only Laws :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Cultural Purification and Discriminatory English Only Laws With continued diversity, stemming from immigration into the United States, the languages spoken here are continually transforming. Cultural misunderstandings and a lack of education on multi-lingualism have caused injustices inflicted on entire groups of people. Historical ideologies on what a "pure" American language should be has resulted in discriminatory "English Only" laws and other programs aimed at "cleansing" the American culture. The language debate can perhaps be traced to John Adams' proposal to the Continental Congress in 1780. The nation at that time was very culturally diverse. "It was commonplace to hear as many as twenty languages spoken in daily life" (ACLU). Adams however, made a proposal to the Continental Congress that would significantly effect this diversity. His call to, "purify, develop, and dictate", usage of the English language would have placed stringent restriction on the employment of any other languages beside English. Another of our Founding Father's myopic views on language and culture, discriminated against the German immigrants in the United States at the time. Benjamin Franklin, in the middle 1700's, feared the German influence could, "supersede Anglo supremacy, not only in language, but in terms of culture and political values" (NCBE). Thomas Jefferson espoused similar worries in 1803, in regard to the French in the Louisiana Territories. The prevailing view each of these Founding Fathers held was fear, propelled only by opinions that the immigrants would not be able to understand, and therefore not promote, "American values". The middle to late 1800's, saw other immigrant groups face like discrimination. The Know-Nothing Party, which was started in the 1850's, upheld anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant views. This ultimately led to language restrictions being placed on them. Due to English literary requirements, Chinese immigrants were, "attacked, barred from employment, disqualified from owning land, not allowed to vote" (NCBE). Laws restricting use of German in many public schools were also passed. One's culture and ideas becomes apparent through language. The distrustful leaders at the time though, were fearful of anything other than "pure American values", and language therefore became the avenue by which they chose to promote this purity. These historical efforts to "cleanse" the American language have no doubt contributed to feelings on language purification by politicians today. The effect of our nation's history of cultural ignorance has led to the creation of proposals that are damaging to those not yet proficient in the English language.

The Ethics of Terrorism: Employing Just War Principles Essay -- Terror

The Just War tradition has been seen as a leading perspective on the ethics of war since the writings of St Augustine were rearticulated by Thomas Aquinas. It attempts to provide a framework which validates just conflicts, whilst at the same time applying limits so as to prevent unrestrained warfare. Today, its core principles can be divided into two broad categories: ‘jus ad bellum’ (just resort to war) and ‘jus in bello’ (just conduct in war). For a war to be just, numerous criteria must be satisfied within these categories. In recent decades non-state terrorism has become increasingly high-profile; indeed, in the twenty first century it has dominated the global political agenda. It is pertinent therefore, to question whether terrorism can be ethically assessed using the Just War tradition.In this essay, I will argue that it is possible to ethically evaluate terrorism by employing Just War principles. I will show that terrorists can satisfy the most important criterion of the Just War tradition. Firstly, they can represent a ‘legitimate authority’ and can have a ‘just cause’. Secondly, terrorism can be a ‘last resort’ and offers a ‘reasonable prospect of success’. Finally, whilst many terrorists do adhere to the principle of ‘discrimination’, the notion of ‘non-combatant immunity’ and civilian innocence is over-simplified. Furthermore, terrorists may perceive themselves to be in a ‘supreme emergency’, therefore mea ning the rules of war cease to exist. Terrorism can satisfy the principle of proportionality. However, before I begin my argument, I must establish a working definition for ‘terrorism’; an important and controversial issue in itself. Walzer describes it as ‘like rape and murder†¦ an attack upon the innocent’ (2005... ...Family Research Council, Accessed Online: 07/11/2010 Roberts, Adams, (1989), ‘Ethics, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism’, Terrorism and Political Violence 1 (1), pp. 48-70 Schmidt Alex P, and Jongman Albert I, (1998) ‘Political Terrorism’ (Amsterdam, Transaction Books) Smilanski, Saul, (2004), ‘Terrorism, Justification and Illusion’, Ethics, 114, July pp. 790-805 Valls, Andrew, (2000), ‘Can Terrorism Be Justified’, In Andre Valls (ed.), Ethics in International Affairs, pp. 65-80 Walzer, Michael, (1992), ‘Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations’, (New York: Basic Books) Walzer, Michael, (2005), ‘Arguing About War’, (Yale Nota Bene) Wilkins, Burleigh Taylor, (1992), ‘Terrorism and collective responsibility’, (New York : Routledge) US State Department, (2005), ‘Country Reports on Terrorism’, Accessed online: 15/11/2010 The Ethics of Terrorism: Employing Just War Principles Essay -- Terror The Just War tradition has been seen as a leading perspective on the ethics of war since the writings of St Augustine were rearticulated by Thomas Aquinas. It attempts to provide a framework which validates just conflicts, whilst at the same time applying limits so as to prevent unrestrained warfare. Today, its core principles can be divided into two broad categories: ‘jus ad bellum’ (just resort to war) and ‘jus in bello’ (just conduct in war). For a war to be just, numerous criteria must be satisfied within these categories. In recent decades non-state terrorism has become increasingly high-profile; indeed, in the twenty first century it has dominated the global political agenda. It is pertinent therefore, to question whether terrorism can be ethically assessed using the Just War tradition.In this essay, I will argue that it is possible to ethically evaluate terrorism by employing Just War principles. I will show that terrorists can satisfy the most important criterion of the Just War tradition. Firstly, they can represent a ‘legitimate authority’ and can have a ‘just cause’. Secondly, terrorism can be a ‘last resort’ and offers a ‘reasonable prospect of success’. Finally, whilst many terrorists do adhere to the principle of ‘discrimination’, the notion of ‘non-combatant immunity’ and civilian innocence is over-simplified. Furthermore, terrorists may perceive themselves to be in a ‘supreme emergency’, therefore mea ning the rules of war cease to exist. Terrorism can satisfy the principle of proportionality. However, before I begin my argument, I must establish a working definition for ‘terrorism’; an important and controversial issue in itself. Walzer describes it as ‘like rape and murder†¦ an attack upon the innocent’ (2005... ...Family Research Council, Accessed Online: 07/11/2010 Roberts, Adams, (1989), ‘Ethics, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism’, Terrorism and Political Violence 1 (1), pp. 48-70 Schmidt Alex P, and Jongman Albert I, (1998) ‘Political Terrorism’ (Amsterdam, Transaction Books) Smilanski, Saul, (2004), ‘Terrorism, Justification and Illusion’, Ethics, 114, July pp. 790-805 Valls, Andrew, (2000), ‘Can Terrorism Be Justified’, In Andre Valls (ed.), Ethics in International Affairs, pp. 65-80 Walzer, Michael, (1992), ‘Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations’, (New York: Basic Books) Walzer, Michael, (2005), ‘Arguing About War’, (Yale Nota Bene) Wilkins, Burleigh Taylor, (1992), ‘Terrorism and collective responsibility’, (New York : Routledge) US State Department, (2005), ‘Country Reports on Terrorism’, Accessed online: 15/11/2010

It is inhuman and offers no solution to unwanted pregnancies

Abortion is the act by which a pregnancy is prematurely terminated to result in the death of a foetus or unborn child. The life of the developing child is destroyed and the child therefore loses the chance of being born into this world.Various methods are used to perform or carry out an abortion such as use of medicine, surgery or any other methods of extraction some of which are very crude. Abortion dates way back into history and has been a social evil that society has had to put up with for a long time. In traditional society such methods as botanical products, exerting pressure on the abdomen and use of sharpened tools were used to perform abortion.With advanced civilization   these methods have changed to result to more modern methods that are medically safe. Crude methods however cannot be ruled as many women will tend to maintain secrecy about the whole issue or they may not afford to visit clinics (Riddle ,John M.).Several reasons lead to abortion but the most common one is unwanted pregnancies. Such pregnancies result from failed methods of contraception, rape, incest or even careless or unprotected sex.Special cases such as complications arising from a pregnancy also result in abortion where the urgency to save the life of the mother becomes inevitable. In the course of medical examination doctors may also detect complications in the development of a foetus and decide to terminate a pregnancy depending on the degree of destruction to the foetus.Pro-abortion activists argue that there is no need of bringing an unwanted child into this world. Children resulting from rape and incest for example come at a time when the mother is least ready for the responsibility. They are not conceived through a relationship and in the event of conception through rape the fathers may not even be known.Many people find it unhealthy to bring such children into the world because of the injustices they are likely to face in society.   Of all the injustices faced by child ren in the world however,   abortion is the worst of them all as it denies an unborn child the most basic human right; to be born and be raised in this world.Denying a child the right to live means that such a child loses the chance to be anybody in society and society has therefore been denied the services of great men and women through abortion (Edward Richards P, Katharine Rathbun C.).Despite rigorous campaigns against abortion, the evil has been on the increase in present day society.. This is due to advance in the field of medicine that has made abortion safer thus reducing the risk of death during the process.As a result, it has become an easy way out for many women especially young adults who engage in careless sex due to the promiscuous nature of society today.   But how safe is safe remains a topic of discussion regarding abortion.Though abortions carried out medically may be safe, the side effects may be far reaching and may not be realised immediately. The reproductiv e system of a woman for example may be destroyed and she may not be able to have children in future.This is traumatic as the woman is unable to overcome the guilt of contributing to her barrenness and the lack of children may lead to the break up of marriage where the woman is in such a relationship. The frustrations and psychological torment may be too much for the woman to bear (Edward R. P, Katharine R.C.).Due to increased number of abortions, a lot of people have come up with the argument that it should be legalised. They argue that legalising abortion will help to reduce abortion related deaths that result from crude methods because clinically induced abortion would now be accessible to those who wish to have it.