“All in the Name of Science” talks about scientific experiments that have been done in the medical field which have called into concern the question of morality. Experiments such as the Tuskegee Study used poor black men to study the affects of untreated syphilis. It allowed the men, who were never told they had syphilis, to go untreated even though the proper medication was available. The writer asks the reader to consider what is morally correct and how research can be done with out violating the rights of participants. To do this, the writer uses Fahnstock and Secors stases.
The first stases to be used is the question of fact. The article explains what the Tuskegee Study was as well as explaining several other similar studies. This stases helps to construct an audience which I believe is composed of people who are unfamiliar with these types of studies, and more specifically, the poor and the minorities whom these studies seem to target the most.
The second stases is the question of cause. The writer believes that people’s rights are being violated by these studies, which tend to misinform their participants or leave them completely blind to what they are participating in. Because of this lack of communication between the researchers and the subjects, the writer seems to suggest that the studies violate moral boundaries. The text even explains that guidelines have been created to protect people from these experiments yet they continue to occur and most of the time involve members of “minority or disadvantaged groups.”
Next, is the stases regarding value. The articles value lies in the idea that when people’s rights are violated, it can have negative impacts. The text points out that in many studies, people died due to a lack of understanding of the study, or from being completely misinformed. Considering what can be done to avoid violating the rights of participants will, in turn, potentially save lives.
The final stases is the question of policy or procedure. The writer’s aim is to challenge readers to consider the moral issues concerning medical scientific research, and is calling for the audience to push for more ethical experiments so that the rights of the people can be protected.
Beyond the use of the stases the article also uses dispositio because it follows a cause and effect type method by saying “this is what happened as well as who it affected and this is what the outcome was.”
3 comments:
This is an excelent application of the stases, you are very in depth in your explaination of each particular component. Someone who was unfamiliar with the theory of stases, I believe, could gain a clear and acurate understanding of the concept through your analysis.
I agree with what was also said about your explaination of the stases. I would also like to add that I think that the question of value is where the audience is really built in this article. This stasis appeals to the emotions of the reader, and pays more attention to pathos. I feel that this is where the author is able to pull in his audience.
I think you outline the stasis in a very effective way. I enjoyed your article. It made me want to keep reading. Good job.
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