According to the website edublox, less than 2.2 percent of the population has an IQ lower than 70. The main character in the short story, “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes is one of that 2.2 percent. When a man named Charlie Gordon, who is eager to become smarter, gets selected to be the first human test subject for a surgery that is aimed to increase intelligence, he learns rapidly about his feelings, reading and writing, and comprehension, but then the project goes wrong and loses his memory and his second chance at becoming a genius. Although some readers may believe that it was ethical to test on Charlie because he wanted to be tested on, it is not ethical because they did not have scientific validity that the surgery would work, did
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For instance, when Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss are arguing whether or not to use Charlie the first human test subject, Charlie overhears Dr. Strauss saying to Dr. Nemur, “...I know Charlie is not what you had in mind as the first of your new brede of intelek** (coudnt get the word) superman. But... hes... eager to please” (Keyes 2) Here, the scientists are saying that they do not want to use Charlie, but should because he is not hard to please. This illustrates how the scientists do not have respect for Charlie because instead of turning him away if he is not fit for the position, they do not care and instead want him because he will be happy with the results even if it does not turn out well. This illustrates how they are taking advantage of Charlie because of his intelligence level. In addition, they are willing to risk Charlie’s life because they do not think his matters as much because of his intelligence level, and for a slight chance that the surgery will work. Another time in the short story where the scientists prove they do not have respect for Charlie appears after Charlie has his surgery. When Charlie wakes up from his operation, Dr. Strauss tells Charlie to think. Then over a course of a few days, Dr. Strauss and Nemur make Charlie repeatedly take tests to check for improvement, and Charlie wants to …show more content…
In the beginning of the short story, Dr. Strauss says that Charlie should keep a journal of what he thinks and what happens to him. Charlie writes, “I don’t know why but he says it’s importint so they will see if they will use me. I hope they will use me” (Keyes 1). Here, Charlie says how he does not know why the doctor is making him keep a journal, but is doing it anyways because he wants to get smart. This illustrates how some might think that it is ethical to perform on Charlie because he gave consent and says that he wants to be used for the experiment. Yet, this position may have failed to consider how Charlie was not given any information on how the surgery was going to work before making his decision. Informed consent means that the subject is aware of the risks, consequences and the procedure being given on them before agreeing to be tested on. An example that shows that Charlie did not give informed consent is when Charlie overhears Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss talking about him and whether he should be used in their experiment. Charlie proceeds to write in his journal how “...he [Dr. Strauss] told Dr Nemur something I dint understand so while they were talking I wrote down some of the words” (Keyes 2). Here, Charlie states that he does not understand what the scientists are saying about him. This
For instance, when Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss are arguing whether or not to use Charlie the first human test subject, Charlie overhears Dr. Strauss saying to Dr. Nemur, “...I know Charlie is not what you had in mind as the first of your new brede of intelek** (coudnt get the word) superman. But... hes... eager to please” (Keyes 2) Here, the scientists are saying that they do not want to use Charlie, but should because he is not hard to please. This illustrates how the scientists do not have respect for Charlie because instead of turning him away if he is not fit for the position, they do not care and instead want him because he will be happy with the results even if it does not turn out well. This illustrates how they are taking advantage of Charlie because of his intelligence level. In addition, they are willing to risk Charlie’s life because they do not think his matters as much because of his intelligence level, and for a slight chance that the surgery will work. Another time in the short story where the scientists prove they do not have respect for Charlie appears after Charlie has his surgery. When Charlie wakes up from his operation, Dr. Strauss tells Charlie to think. Then over a course of a few days, Dr. Strauss and Nemur make Charlie repeatedly take tests to check for improvement, and Charlie wants to …show more content…
In the beginning of the short story, Dr. Strauss says that Charlie should keep a journal of what he thinks and what happens to him. Charlie writes, “I don’t know why but he says it’s importint so they will see if they will use me. I hope they will use me” (Keyes 1). Here, Charlie says how he does not know why the doctor is making him keep a journal, but is doing it anyways because he wants to get smart. This illustrates how some might think that it is ethical to perform on Charlie because he gave consent and says that he wants to be used for the experiment. Yet, this position may have failed to consider how Charlie was not given any information on how the surgery was going to work before making his decision. Informed consent means that the subject is aware of the risks, consequences and the procedure being given on them before agreeing to be tested on. An example that shows that Charlie did not give informed consent is when Charlie overhears Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss talking about him and whether he should be used in their experiment. Charlie proceeds to write in his journal how “...he [Dr. Strauss] told Dr Nemur something I dint understand so while they were talking I wrote down some of the words” (Keyes 2). Here, Charlie states that he does not understand what the scientists are saying about him. This