Nuclear Power

It's Beneficial

Knowledge Question #1

• Do the benefits presented using nuclear power outweigh the ethical dangers of using it?

Real Life Situation #1

• X Ray machines are radioactive- generating devices. They generate ionizing radiation when in operation. .
• Radio-pharmaceuticals and radiation is helpful when treating cancers tumors.
• Radiation biology is used for sterilizing instruments

Real Life Situation #2

• Schools use nuclear energy for low cost and more proficient power. Marvin Ridge is one of the reception centers for duke energy's nuclear power plants in North Carolina.

Ethical Dangers

• We are depleting a non-renewable resource. Future generational Problem.
• Production is emission free, solving a bigger problem.
• pollution plight>non-renewable resources.
• Future technologies= non-renewable resources

Knowledge Question #2

• Nuclear energy is used all around us that we are not aware of, such as glow in the dark sticks. Why don’t we have a bad perception of glow in the dark items but we have a bad perception of using nuclear energy?

Real Life Situation

• We usually focus on the negative aspects of nuclear power. While the USA has more private sector participation in the production of civilian nuclear power than any other nation, the government is heavily involved through safety and environmental regulations, R&D funding, and setting national energy goals

Knowledge Question #3

• How has the history of nuclear energy affected people’s perception of nuclear energy today?

Older Negative Associations

• Earthquake and tsunami crippled a power plant Fukishima Daiichi in Japan on March 11th.
• Paul Slovic, professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, did a study back in the 1990s. Nuclear power= bombs and weapons

New Positive Associations- Safety Regulations

• Radiological releases from authorized activities
• International misuse of nuclear or other radioactive materials
• Activities by states that could lead to acquisition of nuclear weapons.

Conclusion

• Our perceptions of the ethical problems of Nuclear power have been changed as time has gone on, allowing us to understand it and use it in our everyday lives. This has allowed us to make medical break throughs and significant technological leaps that have gotten us to where we are today.