Dr. Stuart Reichler’s Fall 2007 Bio 325
Homework #2
due Wednesday 17 October 2007 in class
We have discussed the connection between nature and
nurture in class, and almost everyday researchers are identifying more
genetic and environmental connections to human traits. As we
learn more about the factors that lead to various traits, we are
gaining the ability to make more accurate predictions about people's
traits based on information such as their genes and environment.
This type of information is already indirectly asked for by insurance companies and doctors when they ask
about the health of your ancestors, and/or where you are from.
You work for Congresswoman
Taxnspend. She has asked you to use your background in biology to
help propose a law regarding the use of genetic information. Your
proposed law should deal with some of these questions:
- What should we do with the
information that is being collected about people's genes,
environment, and various traits?
- Can
estimations about someone's risk for a disease
or certain behavior be accurately made? If not, will these types
of estimations ever be accurate? Do these estimations present a
danger?
- Can jobs, insurance, or school admittance be
denied based
on a prediction of future risk?
Include the approximate wording of your proposed
law, legalese is not
required, as well as the rationale behind your proposal. Since
Congresswoman Taxnspend will be asked questions about this proposed
law, give her at least one possible objection and the rebuttal to this
objection. This assignment
should not exceed
three pages, and this is too short to solve all of these
problems. Include the law, rationale, and a rebuttal, but your
law
may only cover one or a subset of
these questions. Please
include your name and what
time your class is at the top. A cover sheet is not
necessary.
Be certain
to cite any outside sources that you use. Using outside sources
is fine,
but
not citing those sources is plagiarism. This
assignment should not exceed three
pages. (A reference page does not count towards the three
page
limit.) This
homework will be graded on a
scale of 0-4 points. The
typed/word-processed paper should be printed and turned in during class
on October 17, 2007 in class.
I will subtract 0.5
points for each day late.
If you have any questions, please ask.