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Henrietta Lacks: The Definition Of Utilitarianism

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The definition of Utilitarianism is “the ethical principle that virtue is based on utility, and that conduct should be directed toward promoting the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people.” A Utilitarian would say that taking Henrietta Lacks’ cells without her permission or knowledge would be acceptable because it has helped with so many things. Libertarianism is defined as “an extreme laissez-faire political philosophy advocating only minimal state intervention in the lives of citizens.” A Libertarian focuses on the protection of the individual and their rights. A Libertarian would say that taking Henrietta Lacks’ cells without her permission or knowledge would be unacceptable because that was an infringement on her rights as a human being.
Henrietta Lacks was born to Eliza Lacks Pleasant and Johnny Pleasant on August 1, …show more content…

They were determined to grow the first immortal human cells. They took any cells that they could get, so TeLinde offered him a supply of cervical cancer tissue in exchange for trying to grow some cells. TeLinde began collecting samples, and some just happened to belong to Henrietta. After Jones received Henrietta’s biopsy report from the lab, he called to tell her that it was malignant. That night, she told Day to take her back to the hospital to get some medicine. Henrietta’s tumor was treated with radium, which was a white radioactive metal that glows blue. It destroys any cells that it comes into contact with and can burn the skin off a person’s body at high doses. Dr. Lawrence Wharton Jr. dilated Henrietta’s cervix and prepared to treat her tumor, but first shaved off a piece of tissue from her tumor and a piece from her healthy cervical tissue. After the procedure was finished, a resident took the samples to Gey’s

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