Defining Culture : A Dilemma

In 2015, Tim Anderson, a PhD researcher, wrote “GMO Foods are Unsafe”, an article which perhaps sheds light on the mishandling of genetically modified foods, including the lack of testing of said food products, as well as the potential hazards posed to humans and the environment. In the same year, Genetic Literacy Project’s web editor, JoAnna Wendel, wrote a contrasting article “Genetically Modified Foods Have Been Studied and Found Safe to Eat”, and voices her disgust over the false information that constantly belittle GMOs. She believes the allegation that little evaluation has been accomplished to monitor and ensure the safety of these genetic modifications is based on frantic opinions and not accurate facts. Although their positions appear to utterly oppose one

In the essay “Genetically Modified Food: Watching What We Eat,” by Julie Cooper, she argues against the rampant use of genetically modified food (GMO) without any current form of regulation. Cooper discusses the possibility of health risks to those consuming foods with altered genes and the food’s capabilities to have far-reaching health risks. She continues with a discussion as to how and why the creation and use of the GMOs have become so unregulated. She then discusses the response, which is the public’s cry for their right to make informed choices. Other topics discusses are the political, environmental, and corporate ramifications of the rise of GMOs.

Genetically Modified Organisms (G.M.O.s) debates have plagued society and politicians since the idea of G.M.O.s have come to the playing field. Should farmers use them? What are the risks of G.M.O.s? Can G.M.O.s cause cancer in humans? All of these questions as well as a collection of others are waiting to be answered. The article “A Lonely Quest for Facts on Genetically Modified Crops” by Amy Harmon is concentrated on a councilman-Greggar Ilagan- researching questions he has about G.M.O.s so he can make an educated vote on whether or not to pass a ban on genetically modified crops.

Over the years the concept of culture has shaped people and what they believe in. According to the textbook culture is defined as a set of beliefs, traditions, and practices. The conception of culture can be described as material or nonmaterial. Material culture is described as everything that is a part of our constructed, physical environment. On the other hand, nonmaterial culture refers to values, beliefs, behaviors, and social normal. I believe culture can be defined and shaped in many ways. I feel that culture differs from one location to another because the natural environment has an impact on the culture. Also, some people come up with their own ideas and values. There are changes within cultures across time because people grow and develop

In this paper I will begin by defining personal culture and national culture. After, I will then elaborate my own personal and national culture. I will continue to talk about the subject with the person that I have chosen for my cultural group, my mother, and I will identify her personal and national culture. Lastly, I will talk about my own personality and how it has a connection with my own natural culture; knowing this is important, it lets us know who we are, and how we act with people who are from different cultures.

For years, the plants that are native to Hawai‘i have been endangered by the world’s newest and greatest inventions that come out every so often. An advanced science, well known as GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) has recently struck our islands within the turn of the century, creating a drastic revision to our social structure. It has changed the way food is viewed and consumed all over the world, but particularly here in our home. This outburst of Genetically Engineered (GE) products has not only brought forth concerns regarding health risks but it has also caused a questioning to our government, and our agencies that approve these products to be produced on a mass scale.

This article brings about a vital question to the forefront, are GMOs really safe? The article goes on to dissect all the myths about genetic modification and points out the fact that there has been no strict regulation on the production

The identities that each person possesses is influenced according to their attitudes, values and beliefs embedded in their culture. When people hear the word cult, the images of satan worshipping, animal sacrifices and evil, pagan rituals automatically come to mind. However, in reality, the majority of cults do not involve these things and are in fact simply a religious system with alternate beliefs. The word though refers to an unorthodox sect whose members distort the original doctrines of the religion. Heaven’s Gate is a cult that is centred in California, founded by Marshall Herff Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles in 1993. They are a UFO based ‘destructive doomsday’ cult who believed that evil space aliens called ‘Luciferians’ had kept

GMO Controversy. The beginning of the altering of DNA, which has been encoded in both plants and animals, results in drastic consequences applied to both pro and anti GM foods. Within this article a GMO is referred to as “transgenic crops, where the genes from a nonplant organism (usually bacteria) are deliberately inserted into a plant (using recombinant DNA or gene-splicing) in hopes the new plant will exhibit certain desirable traits” (Norwood, Oltenacu, Lorenzo, & Lancaster, 2015, p. 60). Arguably the traits do not always have the best of outcomes. Genetic mutations which show morbid alterations within the bodies of animals and humans, are less likely to have exposure, limiting the discussion or visual representation, outside of the producer.

Terrance O’Connor reports on the social and psychological effects that Genetically Modified Organisms have on societies. Lastly, the ethical and moral implications that this technology has is reported by Michele Jacobs.

Genetically modified organisms is a topic that has been hotly debated for many years; stemming from the central question of the future legality of GMOs, the question rages whether GMOs are the key to alleviating several of the world’s struggles or if they are too riddled with dangerous ramifications. Advocates argue GMOs offer positive health effects. Additionally, they insist GMOs offer improved crop yield; nevertheless, opponents claim GMOs cause adverse health effects like increases in allergic reactions. Similarly, opponents maintain GMOs harm the environment through increased dependence on the use of herbicides. Some experts argue

Producers have been manipulating DNA in the reproduction of their products before Gregor Mendel founded the modern understanding of genetics. Thus, genetically modified organisms -GMOs- are simply more advanced hybrids. The World Health organization defines GMOs as organisms in which their genetic information has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally (Blair, 2015). The controversy regarding genetically modified organisms has been prevalent not only in the agricultural community, but academic conversation as well. Although many organizations and individuals claim genetically modified organisms are malicious to human health as well as the environment, they are indeed the basis for healthy, sustainable agriculture that not only provide a quality product for the consumer, but a safe and nutritious product as well.

Despite the long research, observation, and debate, there are many word concepts that do not have a standard definition. This may lead us to believe that a word may have multiple meanings and interpretations. Each of these meanings can be used in different aspects and purposes. As a result, many people believe that the concept of a word may be described, but the definition cannot be fully defined. In the nursing career, for example, there are many words that have been using, but these words have different meanings in other usages outside of nursing. The words stroke, heart, culture, power, and or sensitivity has a meaning in the medicine while they can be interpreted differently in other fields like sociology, in anthropology, and in religion

There is a myriad of varying definitions for the word ‘culture.’ Instead of defining culture in general terms, it is often defined by how it is related to the environment; and consequently, how it is affected. Culture provides direction, and reason. Throughout history, people have remained stalwart and true to their roots and traditions. However, it has become evident that, with the changing environment, many traditional practices have had to adapt. Climate change is a key component causing this adaptation. Through reflecting upon environmental relativism, and cultural aspects, such as subsistence patterns, economic systems, and religion and world view, it can be concluded that the natural environment influences culture by causing

Kroeber and Kluckhohn (1962) identify over 150 scientific definitions of the concept of culture. Indeed, many authors have tried to define culture and this is why there are so many definitions and that a unique one is hard to find. First of all, Kroeber and Kluckholn (1952) assume that culture is a suite of patterns, implicit and explicit, “of and for behaviour acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artefacts” (p.47). Later, Hofstede adds that culture is “the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another” (Hofstede, 1991, p.51). This definition is the most widely accepted one amongst practitioners. For Winthrop (1991), culture is the distinctive models of thoughts, actions and values that composed members of a society or a social group. In other words,