Bloging Asignment 8

In the 3rd "ecotopian counterculturalism" future, people do not need public official except some apparatus, such as an organization which controls traffic, and they spend community based life. They grow foods, have small scale energy system and produce goods that are necessary for living in the community, so they are independent from global mass market. There, people have no warfare or army, competition for market, desire for profit or possessing products, poverty, and unfair employment. I think the author is naive as he says because he underestimate the complexity of current issues; especially warfare problem. Even if the society develops, individual’s personality or human emotion including envy, anger or hatred cannot extinguish, which can lead people to conflicts.   

Blogging Assignment 7

According to Wagar, workers republic accomplishes the improvement of environment, extinction of wars, bringing liberty, equal wealth and opportunities to every person in 2^nd future. However, previous capitalism system or technologies are still remained at the stage, so people should make effort to exclude them. Such society is wonderful, but I guess the issues of current society are like Gordian’s knot, for example, wars and conflicts are not only the battle between two groups; there are hidden expectations of nations or people that aim profit. So, I cannot help feeling Wagar’s idea as a daydream. 

Works Cited 
Wager, W. Warren. "The Next Three Fufures." The Next Three Futures: Paradigms of Things to Come. New York: Greenwood Press, 1991. (in The ELP Reader, 2011. 18-1 to 18-8). Print.

Blogging Assignment 6

According to Wager, the first future which we are facing now is a “globalized liberal democratic capitalism” (Wager 18-2) one, but it will be replaced by the next future because of its negative effect. For example, “globalized liberal democratic capitalism” makes the gap between rich nation and poor nation wider, costs too much, has systematic dysfunction. I agree with Wager that the world trend is to become a democratic globalized society because last year, many revolutions arose in Middle East countries to become such society. However, I cannot fully agree with his point that “the established technoliberal order will not go down everywhere without a fight” because it ignores many possible options for changing world; a fight cannot be the only way for social change. 

Works Cited

Wager, W. Warren. "The Next Three Fufures." The Next Three Futures: Paradigms of Things to Come. New York: Greenwood Press, 1991. (in The ELP Reader, 2011. 18-1 to 18-8). Print.

Blogging Assignment 5

Banning abortion may increase the illegal abortion that lead women in dangerous. According to the article of The Japan Times, the number of unauthorized abortion pill that are sold via internet is increasing. Although, pills are much cheaper than abortion surgery and sounds convenient, it is risky. For example, a pill known as Mifeprex that is officially approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reported to cause heavy bleeding and require surgery for one out of one hundred women. Therefore, taking pill is dangerous, and at least they need doctor’s diagnosis. Kunio Kitamura, head of the Clinic of the Japan Family Planning Association said the reasons why women chose illegal pills are that they do not want to see doctors or be known their pregnancy to family members. I think this situation must be changed by setting some organization that women can consult easily about their worry of pregnancy or abortion, and banning the sale of pills via internet.   

Works Cited

“Use of unapproved abortion pills bought via the Internet seen rising”. The Japan Times Online. 26 Sept. 2004. Web. 23 Jan. 2012

Blogging Assignment IV

Organ donation is morally acceptable in both cases of brain death and death from heart failure because the action saves people’s life and brain death is equal to human death. First, considering the outcome of organ transplantation, it is ethically right thing to do. Shannon describes the idea of Consequentialism: greatest good for the greatest number of people. Applying the idea to an organ transplantation case, if organ transplantation is not allowed, they let two people die instead of saving one by the transplantation. Also, I think brain death is equal to human death because their basic function is already gone, especially one fails in whole brain death situation. They do not have potential to breath, eat, say or think. I cannot think people in such situation live on their own will, but they are forced to live because they lose autonomy; the ability of “determine a course of action in accordance with a plan of his or her own choosing” (Shannon 17-3). They do not have such important elements that individual should have. Therefore, I do think organ transplantation is acceptable.

Blogging Assignment III

It is a New York Times’ article that tells Japanese Buddhism memorial service for aborted children called Mizuko Kuyou. In Buddhist view, babies who die before birth go to other world, so people pray for their spirits to have safe trip. People who appeared in the article are parents who did abortion or a doctor who carry out abortion. They show deep regret and sorrow. For example, a man who came to the temple to pray said with tears that "The fact that you have murdered someone will be with you all your life -- it will not disappear" (Wudunn). Abortion deprive a human life (at least possible human life), moreover it leave deep scar on people’s mind. I think not all of them are Buddhist and believe its view, but they may be urged  to pray by sorrow and regret. I am sad for the situation that those warm-heart people ought to have chosen abortion. 

Works Cited 
Wudunn Sheryl. "In Japan, a Ritual of Mourning for Abortions - New York Times". The New York Times. January 25 1996. Web. 9 January  2012.

Blogging Assignment II

Abortion is legal in Japan to protect their body, but many women are obliged to choose it because of economic or social reason. Also from the view of children, they are individual human as well as they are parts of their mothers, so they have right to live. Therefore, while the right to have abortion should be kept for all women, society has to make efforts to decrease the incidence of abortion by working harder for social welfare. My first supporting point is that the reasons of abortion. As I wrote above, some do abortion because of economic reason, so if the social welfare becomes better, they can give birth more easily. Second is their emotion for abortion. One source says many of them feel regret for abortion and it can be a mental burden in rest of their life, so for mothers abortion should be avoided as much as possible. Third is the criteria when embryo becomes human. However, there are many standard in each groups, so I have compare them and decide which is appropriate.