#gew101week8

[fletagew-blog]

Drafting an Appeal to Ethos- History of Human Autopsy

The lexicon of the word "ethos" refers to its Greek roots in:  "the distinctive character, spirit, and attitudes of a people, culture, era, etc: the revolutionary ethos" (dictionary.reference.com).

 Neighboring to the ancient Greeks, the ancient Egyptians practiced early forms of autopsy and mummification to appease a religious ethos. Further through history, human autopsy has appealed to several other societies' collective ethos. During the 1800s physicians widely practiced public autopsies to discover the form and function of human anatomy.Although controversial (means of obtaining enough bodies were often immoral if not illegal), such research has aided in a much more accurate understanding of the human body; in turn this has drastically improved medical practice.

Not only utilized for scientific purposes, autopsy can also provide peace of mind for loved ones.Knowing the cause of death can ease much anxiety. Death as in dying is a difficult subject, an emotionally confusing and messy process for all parties involved. With a clear mind, family members can decide what is appropriate to do with the remains of their loved one. If the deceased wishes to act altruistically, one such option is willed cadaver donation. Life-- or death-- as a cadaver does not  necessarily have to be dull. 

For example, the majority of donated cadavers in willed body programs end up at medical schools. Physicians and medical students may at first struggle with separating a cadaver from its once live identity. However, using cadaver labs for practice of surgical  procedures provides a much better alternative than sending students to practice on live patients after observation as their only training. Medical students also learn to objectify the body as a means for practice, to cope with death. Many anatomy labs devote a portion of the class to confronting death and dying. 

The process of losing a life and working with the dead (remains) are two separate entities. As humans, it is natural in our culture to feel a spirit of attachment to our loved ones. However, if we can separate our spiritual attachment from these bodies, it is clear that cadaver donation is a necessary means to broaden our understanding of life and even death itself. 

Works Cited: "Ethos." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ethos?s=t>.

[bohbrgew-blog]

Ethos and Gun Control

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ethos as, "the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution." There are two different sides on the issue of gun control, and ethos plays a role in each of them. For example, many people who support gun control believe that guns are violent and you should not kill people with them. On the other side of the issue, people against gun control believe that we should not take away the right to bear arms and that guns are necessary for self-defense. It all comes down to the personal beliefs of the nation. Many people who strongly support gun control believe in the ethos that violence is bad. However, many people who strongly oppose gun control have the ethos that it is our right as a citizen, and also necessary for defense in case someone were to try to harm us. Each side has its own ethos, with their own support for their beliefs.

[benchgew]

Ethos and Gender Equaltiy

Ethos is defined as the fundamental character or spirit of a culture, or the underlying disposition of a community, group, person, etc. (dictionary.com).  When it comes to gender equality the appeal to ethos plays a major role. There are different two different appeals to ethos when it comes to this subject, women have one set of beliefs, they believe that there should be no reason why women and men shouldn't not be viewed as equals. This is there morals and there beliefs so that is why it is an appeal to ethos. Where men have a different set of beliefs typically, they usually believe that women and men should be seperated by gender roles because they believe women are not able to do the same as men. The perfect example of this is in sports there are women and men's sports for almost every sport possible and this why we have the problem of gender equality that we have. It starts by desegregating sports and allowing women and men to play together. Until men and lose this idea that women are unable to do the same things as them this subject will remain the same

[milaugew-blog]

Gun Control & Ethos

Ethos is defined as the fundamental character or spirit of a culture, or the underlying disposition of a community, group, person, etc. (dictionary.com). Ethos definitely plays a large role in the issue of gun control. Beliefs are split down the line when it comes to this particular subject because of the disagreements over rights and safety. The topic of gun control reveals how deeply emotions run in people, and these emotions are rooted into the morals that people have. I’m not saying one side is right, one side has morals and the other doesn’t. What I am saying however is that people’s history and past experiences help define their outlook on a particular issue. Some argue that we need to ban assault weapons and develop stricter criteria for owning a weapon. Others argue that the system is fine how it is now. Ethos becomes even more obvious when the radical dispositions are examined. Banning all firearms, or having little to no restrictions on firearms are two radical viewpoints that oppose each other. Either way, when it comes to any controversial issue, the ethos of our nation can be hard to determine since it is usually divided. 

[pitlagew-blog]

Women's rights & Ethos

Ethos and appealing to ethos have different meanings. Accodring to Webster dictionary, ethos is the "distinguishing character, sentiment or moral nature of a person group or institution" (Merriam-Webster). Appealing to ethos is the writer's way of gaining credibility. Women's rights is a world wide issue. Ethos relates to this issue because women distinguish character based on the situations they are put in. They may be forced to to work harder or jump through hoops just to get a job, those things could build a woman's character.

Works Cited: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethos