Ramy Alani
2/7/2004
Dr. Lewis
Examples:
First Draft
Should knowledge be defined as being free of ethical judgment?
Knowledge. The term “knowledge” is one of the few in the English language that requires the reader to pause and think about the power if its meaning. Knowledge is an experience, or an understanding of a concept. Experience is achieved through studying, whether formal in construction such as that the English z101 course, or informal such as understanding where to find limited parking on the USC campus. The statements derived from experiences must be accepted as truthful. Statements such as “Essays do not require thought” or “Parking is readily available” are not knowledge since most people know in respect to the English language or parking availability that these statements are false. Listening to a lecturing parent, studying mathematics, or indulging in the twenty-plus nightspots at five points, are all various ways of gaining knowledge.
Knowledge resembles a figurative double-edged sword in that it can both aide and encumber humanity. Knowledge is often created with a beneficial purpose yet has the potential to cause pain and suffering. The science of chemistry aims to study the structure of behavior and structure of matter. Research is conducted to increase the knowledge on all aspects of the universe. In the creation of the Zyklon method of preparing pesticides brought a break through in farming in the early 1920’s due to the fact that it allowed the hydrocanic acid in pesticides to be stored in a safe, concentrated, and suitable manner (Wikipedia). This innovation allowed farmers success against pests and vermin, which leads to a strong crop yield. The higher yield led to countless benefits such as leverage against the economic depression of the late 1920’s and a better standard of nutrition (Gianessi 15). The elimination of vermin curbed the spread of disease in crowded cities. The knowledge of safely storing and reducing chemicals in the form of the “Zyklon” method also lead to the death of millions through the Nazi gas chambers during the Second World War. This method was unfortunately the most effective way to annihilate a large number of human souls due the safety it bestowed its handlers. The high concentration of the hydrocanic acid “Zyklon B” allowed for swift death of a living organism. The chemical specifications of the agent made it the “most efficient killer” of humans. The Leuchter report states that if the knowledge of Zyklon hadn’t been available, the number of humans eliminated would have decreased greatly (Stormfront). The benevolent motivation behind the discovery of knowledge in chemistry for the “Zyklon” was forgotten when the compound was used as a tool in the massacre of millions.
