Activity 1.9 - Importance of kidneys for life

Learning Aims:
    • Students will appreciate the indispensability of kidneys for life and defend their standpoints in the group on the basis of presented arguments.
      Materials
      • Worksheet, working text
      Suggestions for use:

      We will begin with the discussion over the advertisement where a man in material poverty sells one of his kidneys. We will ask the students how much they value this organ and whether they would act in a similar manner in such a situation. We try to highlight the ethical aspect of the example. A discussion over trafficking in human organs is possible. Then they will be provided with a worksheet with the introductory text and questions that will be worked out independently and the findings will be discussed in a group.

      Advertisement:

      Sale of organs or the kidney under the Christmas tree to every (rich) family

      Subject: Sale of kidney

      Description of goods sold: I am a thirty year old man, do not drink, smoke and I regularly practise sports - I am in good health. Blood group 0, vaccinated against common diseases, I have never had a serious illness. For financial reasons, one of my kidneys is offered for sale.

      Price: 1 500 000 CZK, in the case of multiple bids the highest wins

      RE: Rushing, I and my wife live with my mother in law - I really NEED to live on my own!

      Source:http://tomassoukup.blog.idnes.cz/c/19442/Prodej-organu-aneb-ledvina-pod-stromecek-do-kazde-bohate-rodiny.html
      Possible questions:
      • Is the price of kidney undervalued or vice versa overpaid? (in terms of who provides and in terms of who may or may not buy it)