Do we question doctors enough? People seem to trust their doctors, and never question them. In the book Flowers For Algernon, Charlie Gordon is a 37 year-old man who has an I.Q of 68. Charlie has an operation done on himself to increase his own intelligence. The question is, did Charlie Gordon's doctors act ethically when they performed the surgery to make him smarter. Charlie Gordon's doctors did not act ethically, and there are many reasons for this. Charlie never questioned the doctors, and as a result, Charlie didn't understand the consequences of the operation. However, to fully understand the question and the answer, you must know what ethics means. Ethics are standards of right or wrong that direct what people should do. In other words, …show more content…
If the patient is not benefited or could have the possibility to be harmed, then you should not do the operation. Charlie seemed happy about the operation, so the doctors thought it would be benefiting. However, Charlie was never aware of what could happen which was why Charlie was so excited to have the operation. Charlie was not aware of the benefits. In the book it says, "Miss Kinnian says maybe they can make me smart," which was all Charlie was aware of. All Charlie knew was that he was going to increase his intelligence. On the other hand, some might say that the doctors couldn't have predicted the future. In other words, the doctors couldn't have known that the operation would have affected Charlie negatively. However, the doctors knew the a few of the possibilities on how the operation could affect Charlie, and should have taken that into …show more content…
Charlie had two key things, which is why the doctors chose Charlie. The two key things were Charlie's motivation and Miss Kinnian. Miss Kinnian could teach Charlie after the operation, and the doctors Charlie's motivation showed that Charlie really wanted the operation.The doctors chose Charlie, without considering the benefits and harms for him, but only of those key things. The doctors only saw benefits for themselves. They decided that since Charlie wanted the operation, even though he was completely unaware of the possible harms and benefits, the doctors would do it. To the doctors, Charlie was merely a subject willing to do the operation. From the other point of view, understanding what Charlie's motivations was very ethical. That isn't true because that was only one of Charlie's values. Values are parts of life that you think is most important, and being smart wasn't the only thing he valued. For example, in the book it says, "Im glad Im going back to work because I miss my job and all my frends and all the fun we have there." That shows Charlie values his friends and his job
One of the reasons the doctors were not ethical is they didn't tell him all of the risks and he didn't really understand what was going to happen after the operation. ''Miss Kinnian says maybe they can make me smart.''(Flowers for Algernon progress report 1 March 5 1965) ''Has the patient been informed of benefits and risks, understood
“It’s a good feelings to know things and be smart. I wish I Had it right now, if I had I would sit down and read all the time. Anyways I bet i'm the first dumb person in the world who ever found out something important for science”. The operation was for Charlie to become smart permanently. It didn’t work so I agree of the operation being bad.
First of all, why Charlie shouldn’t have gotten the surgery is because he started understanding everyone and how they felt. This stressed him out a lot. He felt like he didn't belong with others. “Now I know what it means when they say “to pull a Charlie Gordon.” I'm ashamed.” (209). In this sentence, Charlie recognizes why his friends liked having him around so much. It was so that they could make fun of him and play tricks on him for their own fun. Also Charlie had felt bad about a kid at a restaurant. “I jumped up and shouted, “Shut up! Leave him alone! It's not his fault he can't understand! He can't help what he is! But for
But, the reason why was all because he was starting to feel things. Emotions are normal and that surgery made him feel like that. Itś honestly not a bad thing. Other readers may also think he shouldn't have had the surgery because it led him to get fired from his only job, however, it wasn't his fault. The other guys were uncomfortable and were afraid only because if they tried to pick on him, that Charlie would out-smart them all. One last reason people with my opposite idea believe that he shouldn't have had the surgery because in the story, Charlie says he didn't want anyone to feel sorry for him, so he left New York. However, most people wouldn't want anyone to feel bad or sorry for them and Charlie made a good choice because if Miss Kinnian was going to cry when she saw Charlie, he wouldn't want to hurt her more even though he was hurt by himself
Charlies doctors acted unethically when they asked if Charlie wanted to do the operation. The doctors didn’t ask Charlie these questions. "Has the patient been informed of benefits and risks, understood this information, and given consent? Is the patient mentally capable and legally competent, and is there evidence of incapacity? If mentally capable, what preferences about treatment is the patient stating? If incapacitated, has the patient expressed prior preferences? Who is the appropriate surrogate to make decisions for the incapacitated patient? Is the patient unwilling or unable to cooperate with medical treatment? If so, why?"(Siegler). The doctors just told Charlie that the operation will make him smarter. This was very unethical by the doctors who kind of took advantage of Charlie just for research.
After the operation, in only a couple of months, Charlie starts showing signs of new intelligence. His grammar, improved, and he is able to reflect on what his does in the past something he wasn’t able to do before. He had finally gotten something use had always desired. Then, everything and everyone turned on him. In “PROGRESS REPORT 12” April 30th (pg. 60) Charlie writes: “now, they hate me for my knowledge and understanding. What in the name of god do they want of me? They’ve driven me out of the factory. Now I more alone than ever before…” Charlie got what he always wanted, and now he lost everything he had. It was a sacrifice it sounded like he didn’t want to make. I can tell just be the tone of his writing. This shows that we should embrace everything that we have. Charlie didn’t embrace everything, although he appreciated most of the thing he never became happy not being able to just enjoy life as it is.
Charlie Gordon's doctors did act ethical when they performed the surgery to make him smarter. States in Flowers for Algernon, "A week since I dared to write again. It's slipping away like sand through my fingers. Most of the books I have are now too hard for me now. I get angry with them because I know that I read and understood them just a few weeks ago." (Keyes 82). Symbaloo research evidence, "When Charlie went to sleep, he had to sleep with music on."
I believe that Charlie is happier when he is less intelligent before the operation. You know the saying ignorance is bliss? That's what I think this is. Sometimes when I get bored I think about things. This is one of them. Would you rather be happy and not know something bad is happening? Or would you rather be unhappy and know that something bad is happening. Charlie was happiest before the operation. He didn't know that his "friends" weren't really his friends. He didn't know that his whole work place was making fun of him. He was happy though. Then he was intelligent, and knew what everyone was doing, he wasn't happy. He knew his "friends" weren't his friends. He knew everyone makes fun of him. He wasn't happy. In fact, he was so upset that
In the short story, "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes, Charlie Gordon is a 37 year-old man who has learning disabilities, with an I.Q. of 34. Charlie wants to be smarter. Charlie is tested for an operation that will increase his intelligence artificially. His doctors offer him this operation before they know how it fully affects the lab rat, Algernon, who is being watched for effects after having the same surgery. Charlie Gordon's doctors did not act ethically when they performed the surgery to make him smarter. They should have waited to see the full effects of the surgery on Algernon. They also should have identified that Charlie's I.Q. made him incapable of making a decision if the surgery was safe for him. The doctors did
Medical Ethics Ethics are what people believe to be right. Ethics are defined by a given person's beliefs on standards based on fairness and justice. It is what they believe they are obliged to do or the rules that they must follow. Charlie Gordon is an honest man determined to learn how to be "smart," and who prides himself on working hard. He is not very bright, having an IQ of only 68, and is chosen as a test subject for an experimental surgery intended to artificially increase intelligence by three times.
One reason why the operation on Charlie was unethical was that he could not fully grasp the concept of the procedure. For example, in Progress Report 1, Charlie wrote that Miss Kinnian, Charlie's teacher, told him about the procedure and he jotted down, "I hope [Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur] use me ... I want to be smart[sic]" (Keyes 514). To receive the operation was Charlie's dream because he wanted to enhance his intelligence, however, that was all he knew about the procedure. Since Charlie had a low intelligence, he could not see the pros and cons of the surgery, only what he wanted, which was to become smart, making the operation unethical. Also, in Progress Report 3, Charlie recorded his past on how people would ask him why he wanted to become smart. "I told them becaus all my life I wantid to be smart and not dumb ... I dont care if it herts[sic]" (Keyes 515). Being born with low intelligence made Charlie yearn to get smarter. However, because getting smarter
In the story "Flowers For Algernon" Drs. Neimer and Strauss had considered a group of candidates before choosing Charlie, they ended up choosing him due to his motivation and desire to learn. When they were considering the study they had to know if this was going to be right for the patient and their research. They had to think about the patients and their ability to live a normal life and have positive effects, but they also had to consider the possibility of a negative outcome including failed attempts, side-effects, health issues, or even death. They most likely thought through some other steps before starting the project, including evaluating the subjects. Charlie was given tests to see his intelligence and help them decide his status for the surgery; he also had to race the mouse Algernon throughout the study to see the progress in his intelligence. Before the operation even happened the doctors behind it were considering the ethics, outcome, and worth of this study.
Charlie's doctors that are going to preform the surgery were not good at making good ethical decions. When the doctors were getting Charlie ready for the surgery they did not tell him the all of the things
Charlie wanted the doctors to choose him, because on some level he knew how atypical he was. From the doctors’ perspective, the opportunity to make Charlie normal superseded his life; this is why they neglected to tell him about the possible side effects of the operation. Disturbingly, the doctors knew that Charlie could regress to his former state and possibly die; they decided not to inform him of this fact because they wanted the recognition and praise that would be showered upon them if Charlie’s operation was a success. Charlie’s impairment did not diminish his worth as a human being, but during the experiment he was equated to a mouse, Algernon. The all-encompassing reason for the doctors wanting to “fix” Charlie was that they thought society would benefit.
One reason why I think the surgery was a bad idea was because, no one was expecting him as a friend. When Charlie got his surgery, some people at his work were realizing that Charlie had changed, and was starting to have feelings. “Look at him. His face is red.He's blushing. Charlie is blushing.Hey, Ellen, what'd you do to Charlie? I never saw him act like that before”. In this sentence Charlie's workmates realized that Charlie's operation was actually working, and that Charlie was