Compare and Contrast two of the readings. How are similar? How are they different? What does it say about the topic at hand? What can we learn from the conversation they are having about the topic? What are the conversations not say? Is anything implied or left out?

DISCUSSION ESSAY

Pick one of the following essay prompts:

Minimum two sources and one additional outside source must be utilized for this essay no matter the prompt you choose. In other words, if you decide to incorporate a video that we watched for class you still need two textual sources to discuss from and one additional source.

Opinion 1: Compare and Contrast two of the readings. How are similar? How are they different? What does it say about the topic at hand? What can we learn from the conversation they are having about the topic? What are the conversations not say? Is anything implied or left out?

Opinion 2: We are living in a world where gene manipulation is not only possible but has been done in some cases throughout history—Hitler’s designer babies comes to mind, as well as the gene editing done by Chinese Scientist He Jiankui—should we have the power to alter the human genome if it means we can “turn-off” the genes that cause cancer and other serious diseases? Why or Why not.

Opinion 3: Before the rise COVID, offices of public health around the world have been seeing a rise of diseases that had been eradicated due to vaccines—such as measles. In early September of this year (2022), the CDC just confirmed the first case of polio in the US since 1994. How has the rise of anti-vaccines shape our current reality? Do you think we are only going to see more increase cases of once eradicated diseases such as measles, polio, and smallpox (we are also facing a monkey pox conflict as well)? What is your stance on vaccination in a world still affected by COVID?

Opinion 4: Using the sources as guide/evidence of support/dispute, answer the question: what is the danger of a single story?