NO. There are many conundrums, including legal uncertainties, question marks over suitability and the possibility of gender-based discrimination if single individual adoption is allowed. Children need both parents for healthy psychological development. To successfully meet various socio-psychological developmental stages a child would ideally need both parents. Moreover, taking care of a child, especially in its…
Category: Society
Marc Sageman’s views on terrorism in the 21st century
Much of Sageman’s data set focuses on the central organization of Al Qaeda. Do you feel that this can be generalized to the larger jihadist movement? Sageman’s contention that Al Qaeda is now a decentralized and more diffuse organization is quite correct. After the killing of Osama bin Laden and his top rung of aides,…
The key traits of North American Indian culture which flourished before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors in 1492
The simplistic version of history suggests a primitive/tribal way of life for indigenous Americans. Such a simplification detracts from the community a rich, ecologically informed culture, as well as an egalitarian social organization. The first chapter in the book by Roark, Johnson and team attempts to flesh out a complete picture of North American Indian…
Summary and Reflection of ‘Future of Medicine: Perfection and Beyond’ (Chapter 3) of Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku
The chapter takes the reader through an imaginative journey of medicine in the future. Although some of the possibilities proposed appear like material from a science fiction novel, they are based on emerging scientific breakthroughs. One of the themes discussed in the chapter is the increasing mastery of human beings to ‘play God’. Evolving new…
Connections between human trafficking and environmental destruction
The connection between human trafficking and environmental destruction is not obvious at the outset. But a closer scrutiny of human trafficking reveals how it does lead to the degradation of the environment. When we study the life and works of luminary figures from past to present, they all acknowledge the centrality of human liberty for…
‘Social Death’ and ‘Possessive Individual’ according to Grace Hong
Grace Hong’s essay titled ‘The Possessive Individual and Social Death: The Complex Bind of National Subjectivity’ offers numerous insights into historical social constructs. Focusing on the evolution of American history since the time of the Declaration of Independence, the author charts a cogent description of how the socio-polity resisted progressive changes. The book is focused…
Free the Children (FTC) – India Initiative
The Free the Children Initiative is a much needed social project. It aims to free children in developing nations from bonded labor and other forms of exploitation. The brainchild of Craig Keilburger, the project has attracted public attention in the United States and the rest of the developed world. The relevance of such an initiative…
From the American Revolution to the Reconstruction era: A race & gender perspective
The time period between the American Revolution and the Reconstruction were one of uncertainly and instability in American socio-politics. Having valiantly won its freedom from the British Crown, the fledgling nation was taking cautious first steps toward self-assertion. But even as America’s presence as a global power was taking root, its society was beset by…
Huxley’s effective use of conflict and control in reinforcing the dangers of technocracy in Brave New World
Brave New World is a profound literary work that encompasses themes of philosophical discourse, projection of societies in the future, the impact of technology on human relations, etc. The major theme in the novel, however, is the link between dystopian societies and an underlying technocratic socio-political order. Huxley uses conflict and control in the realms…
What is the basic controversy about advertising for children (and commercialization of childhood)?
(In order to limit the negative aspects, should the government regulate it, or is this responsibility more with others (e.g. families, media, schools, etc).) Advertising targeted against kids is a concept that invokes ethical issues. The major criticism against this practice is that it abuses the vulnerability of children for commercial gain. The ‘kid market’…