Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Introductions

Finally we meet! Classes at our school began last Thursday, too late in the week for our MW course in Bioethics. Then, Monday was a holiday. But now our first class is nearly upon us. Let's introduce ourselves, Spring 2013 Bioethics collaborators. I'll start.


I'm Dr. Oliver, aka James P., aka Phil. I live in Nashville with my wife, two daughters, two dogs, and a cat named Zeus. My office is in James Union Building 307-B. Office hours are MW 4-5 and TTh 11-12 (or by appointment). On nice days, office hours will be outdoors (my door will direct you). 

I've been at MTSU for over a decade, teaching philosophy courses on diverse subjects including atheism, childhood, happiness, the environment, the future, and bioethics.

My birthday is Feb.14, we'll observe it on the 13th: bring cake and candy to class that day. Also a cure for aging if you've got it.

My Ph.D. is from Vanderbilt. I'm originally from Missouri, near St. Louis. I'm a Cardinals fan. My undergrad degree is from Mizzou, in Columbia MO. (I wish my schools weren't in the SEC-I don't approve of major collegiate sports culture or of violence in football, but don't get me started.)

My philosophical expertise, such as it is, centers on the American philosophical tradition of William James. Last semester a student asked me to respond to a questionnaire. I did, and have continued to reflect on its excellent questions. "It was an honor..."

I post my thoughts regularly to my blogs Up@dawn and Delight Springs, among others, and toTwitter. Follow me if you want to. But of course, as Brian Cohen said, you don't have to follow anyone. (Extra credit if you get that reference... and real extra credit if you realize that my "extra credit" is usually rhetorical.)

Enough about me. Who are you? (Where are you from, where have you been, what do you like, who do you want to become,...?) Why are you here? (On Earth, in Tennessee, at MTSU, in philosophy class)? More specifically: as a bioethics student and a living being, what ethical obligations towards your fellow living beings and the systems that support them do you acknowledge? Do you think our form of life has a future? 

(Hit "comments" below and post your introduction, then read your classmates'... and bear in mind that this is an open site. The world can read it. (The world's probably busy with other stuff, of course.)

42 comments:

  1. I’ve never been to St Louis though I want to one day. And I love candy even though my birth day is not Feb 14... I will definitely celebrate it with you. I am very excited about this class and wonder what is in store for all of us.
    Cassie Warren

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  2. Welcome, Cassie. I wonder too!

    Thanks for being brave & going 1st (or 2d). Where's everybody else?

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  3. Hi everyone, my name is Jacob (most people call me Jake, even my mother...who named me) and I graduate this semester. I had Dr. Oliver for PHIL 1030 four years ago and am looking forward to this course for that reason, among others. I'm getting a math degree but I've recently been accepted in to medical school at UT (waiting to hear back from a few others), and because my career goals include clinical research this course will serve me well I think. I own a Siberian Husky that I find to be pleasing to the eye. I have six siblings and I managed to end up right in the middle. I was once extremely religious but I had Dr. Oliver and that changed (not your fault, obvious reasons). I have an overwhelming inability to turn my back on those in need, and my empathy for others can be heart-wrenching at times.

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    1. Hi Jacob,

      Good to see you again. Congrats on med school!

      You're still "spiritual," right? In any case, if you've still got your empathy I'm sure you'll be a great doc.

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    2. Empathy is quite the double edged sword, but I feel if more people had just a bit more of it, then this humanity would probably get along much better.
      Congratulations getting accepted to and Good luck with Med school, I recently had a friend start med school and he tells me it's truly a beast.

      ~Radiance

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  4. Hi I'm Betsy. I'm from Wheaton, IL where I lived up until I came to MTSU. I've been to a whole lot of state parks, Canada, the UK, the Bahamas and I had a layover in Germany once if that counts. I like cats. I would like to be a sound engineer in either London or Sydney after school. I think people create their own purposes to be on earth and although I would like to have one, I haven't devised what mine might become yet. I'm in TN (and MTSU) because I wanted a school with a recording industry program that was warmer than IL but not as expensive as California. I'm in this philosophy class to form opinions and become educated enough in the subject to win any and all related arguments.
    As far as ethical obligations, I see the lines as rather blurred and can see the sense in most sides of the ideas I've heard discussed in the past. Technically we do in fact have a future but how long that continues has too many factors to be accurately predicted.

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    1. I consider any argument a "win" if it helps me learn and grow.

      Anyway, I'm relieved we have a future. But can I get that in writing?

      (Oops: there went some of the future, just now. Past, present, AND future are all pretty specious. Guess we just have to make the most of the moment.)

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  5. Wilhelm Schwarzwald of course. Some also call me Captain Planet, but just for you guys, you can call me "that hipster kid who rides a bike everywhere", William for short. I identify with the communist, utilitarian and transhumanist movements; however, I'm most definitely a pluralist. I'm also a liar who regurgitates things other people say. I'm also attempting to be an environmental activist and a bit of an academic politician, just to ruffle feathers of course, since we all know saving the world is a bit silly. The only other thing that defines me is my one central passion, inwhich I've replaced Kierkegaard's passion for God, with music, particularly that of the electronic variety, deep house, lounge, techno, ambient, and so on. Also, feel free to chat with me about good 'ole Waggy Wagner and Mozzy Mozart.

    As to why I'm here, it's quite obvious really. To convince all you silly biology majors I'm right when there isn't a such thing.

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    1. What "Wilhelm" didn't tell you:

      He also answers to "William" and (in class, at least) is a really sweet guy and a strong debater, stubborn but respectful, who brings a lot to every conversation I've seen him participate in. (He was in my Intro to Phil class last year, and Environmental Ethics last Fall.)

      So far as I can tell, he's a "communist" in the only way a true utilitarian can be: rhetorically and non-ideologically. But he's also an ambitious organizer and innovator with big ideas for how we can reconstruct campus governance, among other things.

      Hi William!

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  6. Rebekah Grace Schott. From Tennessee, been here most my life, want to become a dentist, which seems to be happening since it's my last semester at MTSU and I have been accepted to Dental School. I am in this class mostly because I think you decide what you believe by accumulating information from others and your surroundings. Thoughts and beliefs have an origin and most of mine I don't personally originate but choose to believe.

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    1. Congrats! I just started a new dentist, if he doesn't work out I hope you set up practice in Nashville.

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    2. Hi, Rebekah! Glad to see you're in this class. The last time I talked to you was at Toot's and you were really unsure of whether or not you were gonna get into Dental School...so, congraulations! Oh yeah, you might not remember me :)

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  7. Zach Martin. I'm from Lawrence County, Tennessee. It's a extremely rural area, and most of my neighbors are Amish. I have a younger brother and sister. I love football, and I am ready to watch the Ravens win the superbowl. I plan on going to medical school in the fall of 2014. My major is chemistry and my minors are biology and psychology. I really look forward to this class.

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    1. Back when I used to follow football, before I decided it was an ethically-indefensible blood sport, I hated the Ravens.

      But my neighbor is a (non-Amish) banker from Lawrence County, if you're anything like him we'll get along anyway.

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    2. Hi Zach, feel free to ask me any Q's as they pertain to medical school and the whole process if you'd like. I don't know if you saw, but I start med school in the Fall. It sure is a lot to do and no one really helps you so consider me a resource if you'd like, my friend.

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  8. (Posted for Komron... if anyone else is having trouble posting a comment, send it to me and I'll post for you 'til we figure out what the problem might be. -JPO)

    Hey everyone, my name is Komron and I'm a Bio major/chem minor, with a premed course of study. In roughly five years, I'll be a surgeon in the United States Armed Forces. I love medicine and medical research!

    I've lived in the greater Nashville area for over 18 yrs now, and although I have been all over the world, I rather like it here. I believe my role in this physical world is to build the strength my soul needs to continue its journey to wherever that may be and to help others do the same.
    I've joined this class and this discussion on bioethics because as a physician and a scientist, I will be innovating ways of helping humans escape the shackles of physical disfigurement and disease so they may live their lives to their fullest, and as such, will require a strong background in medical ethics so as to have at least a moderate understanding of how far I can push the boundaries to achieve my goals.
    Looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow!

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    1. I'm not sure if I understand, but becoming a surgeon in roughly 5 years doesn't seem possible. Don't get me wrong here, but medical school is 4 years and the very minimum you will spend in a surgical residency is 5 years. You have at the very least nine years I think. Unless, of course, you know something I don't...in which case, do tell!
      In any right, I too am taking this course for the exact same reasons. It is imperative that we, future leaders of medicine, be educated as such.

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    2. I will be a general surgical resident in 5 yrs, practicing surgery. with an MD, I will be a surgeon, just not board certified :)

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  9. "Pushing boundaries" is exactly how I see the current (and foreseeably future) state of bioethics & biotetch...

    I wish the Armed Forces required fewer surgeons, but if they have to have more I wish you luck.

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    1. I couldn't agree more Dr. Oliver. But as I see it, as long as people are out there sacrificing life and limb for my liberties, they deserve the best care this country can afford (afford chosen purposefully). look at me, already getting into the ethics...

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  10. Hi, I'm Mary Ellsworth. I'm originally from Athens, Alabama, but I've lived in the boro for a long time. Longer than I'd like. I've traveled all over the place..across the country, south of the border, through Europe and back twice. Experiencing other cultures is a thrill for me.
    I'm stumped as to what I plan on doing with my life here on Earth and am having difficulties forcing myslef to choose this thing called a career. In the meantime, I am exploring the world of knowledge, which is what brings me here to Bioethics. The future I see for our form of life is an overcrowded & thirsty one, but I suppose it's a future nonetheless.
    See you tomorrow!

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    1. overcrouded and thirsty indeed. and very hot!

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  11. Greetings,
    I like to go by Radiance, but am more commonly refereed to by BJ.
    I have my head a little to stuck in the clouds, and a strong desire to be a hero. I think true heros are to few and far between, and this world could use more, and my real hope is that in my seeking this goal I can inspire others to do the same.
    One of the many reasons I am taking this class is that I have dabbled with the thought of joining in the game of politics one day and amongst my views of how this world needs to change is the way we see ourselves as a species and our relationship with the planet as a whole.
    I have many views that don't always seem to make sense together, and what views I have are always changing. so I don't really like dropping myself into many philosophical groups except maybe Utilitarian.
    My final personal bit is that I and the geek-of-all-kinds. If you know something geeky, I may not be the biggest into it but I am probably at least a part of it. DnD,Gamers,Techies, Trekkies, Bronies, Furries, Otaku, shippers, role-players, science-geeks... Yeah, I'm that guy with his geek flag always flying at full mast and the one who'd love to help you if you've ever been curious about any part of a nerdy fandom :P

    Long winded intro aside, I'm excited to attend one of your courses again Dr. Oliver. This topic sounds fascinating and sure to spark quite a few good conversations.

    ~Radiance

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  12. Heather Davis in this life! Tennessee born and bread! Never been out of the south, but I love random facts that make me seem well cultured... which results in a passion to read that is sometimes overwhelming! eg. Stayed up 51 hrs straight reading a Christopher Pike book! I am taking this class as a pre-professional student in hopes that I can someday go into cancer research with an open-mind! For now, my education is leading me to be an OB/GYN. I know God has a plan for me, hopefully to serve my fellow humans well! As know far as our future goes, I prefer to live striving for a better tomorrow, whether it comes or not.

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  13. Hello everyone,
    My name is Caleb Miles. I am a Biology major and chem minor with a premed concentration. I was born in Jackson, but have lived in Nashville since I was two. my ultimate goal is to contribute to the global society in a grand,positive way. I like kids but dont have the patience to teach them, Laws and government seemed too messy and corrupt, I dont have the patience or the stamina for that,but a knowledge of medicine and the human body is something that I can take anywhere in the world. In my opinion, medicine "evens the playing field" that divides classes and constantly reminds us that we're all human with an expiration date. It doesnt matter if your Donald Trump or a bioethics student at MTSU, when your life/health is at risk you both need a doctor to administer care, so I guess I want to be apart of something like that. I want to lead a selfless lifestyle indebted to healing the human body. See you all this afternoon!

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    1. Good to hear, Caleb. The truth is, you're right. The art of medicine is a beauty that we will be able to take wherever we go...and NO ONE will ever be able to take it away. If the shit hits the fan and this world gets crazy (more so than it already is, like apocalyptic style) we will be a commodity simply doing what we were born to do.

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    2. I like this guy already.
      haha Jacob you're more right than we know!

      -Komron

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  14. Joshua Moore! Is my name. I will answer to Josh in the hope of saving syllables. I am a philosophy major convert from the environmental science program here at MT and am in my fourth year of education. I like people who wish to make a difference in this place which we happen to find ourselves in, "The World." Perhaps if you find yourself lacking that spark, I am sure I can refire the kiln(talk at me)! In my sense of reasoning, If you are not a part of the solution then it is by default that you become associated with the problem. I participate in several Campus groups and attempt to be as civically engaged as possible. American Democracy Project and Students for Environmental Action, to name a couple. I am in this bioethics course in order to explore further the reasoning behind the idea of taking our future into our own hands as a human race. In regards to the thought of the human race's evolution: Yes, the race as a whole is devolving and evolving before our very eyes. Exponentially as well, this evolution which I refer to is one of intellect, this intellectual evolution. That aside, The places I have been are many as are the places I wish to go. Quite excited, indeed!

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  15. Hey guys, my name is Austin O'Connor. I am a sophomore Biology major, Chem minor from Knoxville, TN. I am Pre-Med, and that, in a nut shell, is why I am here in this class. I have always been interested in medicine and I feel as though this is what I am supposed to end up doing so as of now I am traveling down that path. More specifically, I am interested in either hematology-oncology or surgical oncology but I am definitely interested in working with cancer patients. Cancer has always intrigued me both as a disease and in the type of patients it produces. I believe that there is something unique about patients with cancer and I believe that it would be a privilege to work with them.
    I love to hike and do other outdoors activities. I also love music, both playing and listening. I am a percussionist and also enjoy messing around and learning a little guitar. I am the director of MTSU Catholic so I devote a fair amount of time into that ministry and all that it entails.
    I am very interested to see what this semester will bring and I look forward to hearing what you have to say. I cant wait to increase my perspective and discover where I stand on the various ethical issues that plague the world of medicine today as well as some of those that might arise in the not too distant future.

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  16. Hi, I'm Amber Armistead. I am currently a Junior at MTSU with a major in Biology and minor in Chemistry. I am working toward completing my Pre-Med requirements, and hoping to be in medical school within the next few years. I eventually want to work in Pediatrics along with doing some volunteer medical work abroad. Medicine is of course the main reason I am in this class. I believe there are many ethical issues existing in the medical field, and believe there are much more that are going to arise in the near future. I am taking this class to get a better understanding of these issues, and hopefully form an opinion of my own as well as listening to others.

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  17. Hey guys. I'm Timothy Cole. I'm a senior premed student. I hope to work in Emergency Medicine (General or Peds) as well as with Doctors Without Borders. I enjoy travel and I would like to see how medicine affects other cultures and peoples in need of care. I work now as an EMT/Firefighter and I'm very curious to hear the arguments (pro and con) as we discuss the case studies. Hopefully there will be ideas that challenge how, ethically, I may provide care for my patients on a daily basis.

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  18. Hello everyone,
    I am Nick and this is my last year of undergrad. i am using my GI Bill to pay for my new profession, Psychiatrist working for the VA. i have been to many places around the world and have seen how "ethics" can vary from culture to culture. I was told this class would be a good class to take for med school, and that a class similar to this would be a pre-req for many Med Schools in the future. i am interested to see what i can learn from the class and my fellow students.

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  19. Hello everyone,
    I am Michael and this is my first full year at MTSU. I originally began my college career in 2001 at the University of South Carolina. I then had to move home to help with my family after the passing of my father in 2002. I continued to go to school for two more years before I decided to join the United States Navy. While in the Navy I was a hospital corpsman (combat corpsman) for the Marines. I was born and raised in New Mexico. While serving this great country I was able to see other cultures and observe their beliefs and ethics. After I finished my military service, I was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). I later moved to Tennessee in 2010 and in 2012 I decided to resume my college career. I have aspirations of becoming a doctor and use my skills to help better humanity. I am taking this course because I received an email about the course and how it would be required, in the future, for medical school as well as to prepare for the MCAT. Also after reading about the course, it seemed interesting and since I'm planning on becoming a physician I figured it would be helpful in my career as well as my everyday life. I look forward to the many discussions and other points of view of the other students and hopefully learn and grow as a person.

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  20. Hello,
    My name is Houssainatou Keita but I like to be called "Houssai" or "Houssainah", just because my name is so long and most people don't know how to pronounce it:). I am a shopmore here at MTSU and I am majoring in Pre-pharmacy and minoring in French. My family lives in Memphis TN but we are originally from West Africa precisely "Guinea Conakry". I speak 3 languages which are: French, English, and Fulany. I love helping others and learning about new cultures. For fun, I like to sing and dance and hangout with my friends. I am taking this course because I want to learn other people's perspectives about the medical world. I don't think I have a stable opinion right now but I am pretty sure that by the time I am done with this class I will have a clear point of view of my major. I am really looking forward to hearing what everyone have to say in class and learning from it.

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  21. Hello all,
    I am Patrick Mcsweeney. I am from Boston and I moved here to go to school with friends. I am a writing major with a philosophy minor. I hope to go to law school next year, but I am not sure if I will stay here or return to MA. I took this class because I find the topic to be very interesting and I think that I would like to work with it in the future. I am also looking forward to having discussions with everyone in class. It seems that there will be many different viewpoints for each group.

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  22. Hey guys,

    I'm from Michigan, and have lived in Murfreesboro longer than I'd prefer. I'm in my Senior year as a Psych major, Neuroscience/Biology minor, and will be applying to Grad schools in the Fall :) Hopefully I will get into a great program, because the idea of getting paid to further my education has always been appealing to me. I tend get bored quickly if I am not actively seeking knowledge. For now, I work on campus as a student researcher on two concurrent projects, and that is where I spend most of my time. I also try to have a social life, and am currently helping my best friend plan her wedding.

    I took this class on a whim, and my hope is that we will cover topics which have relevance to my desired career in research. On the question of humanity, and it's possible future/demise: I think that our form of life has a future, but our WAY of life needs changing. Adaptation is necessary for any species to survive. In our part of the world, I think there is a particular "live for today" mentality, and considerations for future generations are not being legitimately addressed.

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  23. I am Alexander Thorne.
    This is my senior year at MTSU, but I intend to stay for an extra semester. My majors are in Psychology and Philosophy with a minor in German, though I only chose, because we must.
    I am attending university courses, because experts are better guides in learning their fields than I can be for myself.
    I want to learn everything. Obviously, this is not possible (given limited memory and time), but I believe the pursuit is also valuable.

    As far as ethical obligations I accept, one example is an obligation not to pollute, as the environment in which we live cannot belong to individuals. For instance, a company might claim right to pollute "its" land, but it cannot control how natural processes can take such pollution and distribute it elsewhere.

    I am not a soothsayer and do not know our future. However, some strains of thought, such as complete disregard for that future, are disquieting.

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  24. I am Charles Alexander Horn, but I go by Alex for short. I am a junior here at MTSU and am planning on getting a biochemistry degree and then applying for pharmacy school. I was born and raised here in Murfreesboro and want to leave this town as soon as possible. Not because its such an awful place, but because the world is so huge and i would love to get to see what other places have to offer in life. I am not sure why i decided to take this class other than the email that I received before registering for classes. I do know that ethical issues play a major part in many aspects of healthcare and all fields of science, so because of that I knew it would not hurt to take this class. I do not know what the future holds for us as a human race, but I do know that we need to make some changes in order for us to survive. With that being said i believe that we are smart enough and capable of making these changes and sustaining life on this earth as we know it.

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  25. I'm Andrew Mitchell, I'm a senior at MTSU, looking to graduate in may with a major in Pre-Law and a minor in Philosophy (though sometimes I wish it were the other way around). Metaphysically I am a happy nihilist and ethically I am either a classical hedonist or a stoic (depending on my mood that day), and I am mediocre at being both, I am sure. I'm interested in Bioethics because the possibilities opened by the concept of transhumanism usher in a paradigm shift by their very mention - which means that it's the duty of whomever has the presence of mind to consider them, to consider them. I hope my intuitions are correct when I say that I think that I'm among that class of people, having said the aforementioned.

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  26. I am Vincent Lem. This will be by last semester here, plus one summer course and majoring in Psychology; political science and philosophy as minors. I have worked in the restaurant business pretty much my whole life. I am a thrill seeker and car enthusiast. Adrenaline is what makes me feel alive. After many years of trying to figure out life's big questions, I know we will never know the answer. One thing I did figure out is the key to happiness. It may not work the same way for everyone else, but it is similar to the phrase, "f#*! it". This works for me to an extent of course and I can't just drop everything I don't like. Come talk to me if you'd like to know more how it works :).
    As a conscious living being, I find that 'morals' vary from culture to culture. There are some common rules that we as intelligent beings should try to live by though they may be in the gray areas. We should all strive to live peacefully within given laws and maintain order to have a less chaotic society. I think naturally, we are just about as deviant as animals without these rules/laws, and that is one of the few things that separate us from 'animals'.

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  27. I'm Shonda Clanton, a sophomore majoring in Forensic Science and planning to head to Vanderbilt Medical School once I finish my undergraduate degree. I plan to become a forensic pathologist, a voice for the voiceless and to cure aging. Yes, I'm one of those people....

    I'm a member of the Forensic Search and Recovery Team (FASR) led by Dr. Berryman and am blessed to be able to assist Dr. Oliver with research information on peripatetic philosophy in my spare time. I've learned a ton already but am ready to learn so much more.

    I honestly believe that we are all connected in one form or another, humans and all forms of life. I believe that we are all obligated to our best to help each other in any way that we can and to grow as individuals into people who can do just that. I also believe that sociopaths, autism, and a host of other "illnesses or defects" are actually evolution taking place over time and not at all what we think it is. (any of it) I often think that we think we are smarter than we really are. My hope is to one day gain a higher level of understanding of all things, to get a map of the terrain, per say..rather than just of the house I live in and find my way to furthering humanity as a whole.

    Bioethics is going to help keep me grounded, in a way, I hope. Reminding me that what others think and feel, that their humanity and mine, is of some importance as I progress and hope to achieve my goals. It won't stop me, but I hope it will temper me with a little wisdom.

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