Friday, October 25, 2019

Ethical Issues of Human Test Subjects Essay -- Radioactive Technology

Ethical Issues of Human Test Subjects As we achieve burgeons of new technologies, we must also face the irreprehensible sacrifices. The old scientific adage reminds us that no trial can go without error. Many of the present day technologies may prove beneficial but the processes of development and discovery often come at high prices. Countless experiments have been conducted in the names of science and the advancement of mankind. Regardless of their outcomes, these experiments require some form of a test subject. Any life sustaining test subject has been the root of many ethical issues, with human test subjects being one of the most controversial. Granted the advantageous products of labor, the definition for what we, as moral humans, are willing to sacrifice still lays a little rough. One of many ethical dilemmas arises when we question as where to draw the line for human test subjects. Test subjects are not always guaranteed the safety of their outcomes and this generates a lot of debate to what extent we are prepared to tolerate for the sake of advancing technology. The past century has unveiled many new revels in science and technology. Nuclear technology is one of the more recent brinks of discovery. Over the past 60 years or so, scientists have been on a gold rush for the nuclear power. New elements were being discovered and the potentials of their peculiar characteristics drew in more and more people. Highly radioactive substances were being tested for their potencies at the subatomic level. The gain in this scurry for answers was partially politically charged, if not totally for educational purposes. The United States was amid the throng of countries entering the World War II. If one of the most ... ...ficiencies. This does not necessarily mean that the human resource can be misused. By maintaining a code of ethics in human experimentation, we can all advance forward. People should be willing to accept the risks involved in human experimentation, including death. Certain demographics or distinctions in people should not set them apart from a testing pool. With nuclear power and radioactivity as still relatively new ideas, the course of discovery has yet to be traveled. It is only up to us to be vigilant and consciously aware of our actions. References: 1.http://tis-nt.eh.doe.gov/ohre/roadmap/achre/chap7_5.html 2.http://www.dc.peachnet.edu/~shale/humanities/composition/assignments/experiment/fernald.html 3.http://the-tech.mit.edu/V114/N28/fernald.28n.html 4.http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/radiation/dir/mstreet/backgnd/exper/radhum.txt

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Animal Cruelty Essay

Renà © Descartes, a famous philosopher, once argued that, â€Å"animals are not sentient- they are machines, like mechanical clocks, devoid of feelings and incapable of experiencing pleasure or pain† (Vaughn). Today, unlike Descartes, most people believe that animals are intrinsically or instrumentally valuable, also, whether they have or deserve any rights. Defining what cruelty is has been very subjective. To some people. An animal is just property and they can beat it around as much as they want, to others, animals are part of their family and they would never lay a finger on them. There is legislation against animal cruelty but because there is so much subjectivity, the legislation fails to deter people from abusing their animals. For there to be equal justice for animal cruelty people must agree on a completely objective definition of what is cruelty and what is not. see more:animal cruelty essay Legislation for animal cruelty varies state to stat. Ohio has laws for animal cruelty in general and a section for cruelty against companion animals. The law defines companion animals as â€Å"any animal that is kept inside a residential dwelling and any dog or cat regardless of where it is kept: (Ohio Cruelty). The law does not consider any livestock or wild animal as a companion animal. The legislation then goes into what it considers cruelty, torture, or neglect. The punishments outlined in the law include jail time, fines, and the removal of their animals. The one thing that is not counted for in this legislation is the emotional ties to the animal. Every person is emotionally attached to their animal in a different way. There is no real objective way to measure how much an animal means to a person. Just because a person is emotionally attached to their animal, that does not mean that they will not commit any act of cruelty against their animal. It is said that Michael Vick claimed to love his dogs even though he subjected them to fog fighting. It is possible that in him mind he truly believed he cared for his doffs. In less extreme cases, a person could love an animal but still strike it when it was bad, In their mind the dog was bad so it deserved to be beaten,. They just do not see that as being animal cruelty. Most people believe that it is wrong to be cruel to animals. Within  different societies, animals are treated differently. Depending on how and or where a person was raised, an animal could be a loved pet that is part of their family, or they could just treat it as property and a tool that is just there for their personal use. According to Ohio law if a person owns a dog then it is considered a companion animal, no matter if it is kept in their residential dwelling or not. IN one situation the owner keeps their dog in their house and it is a part of the family. They treat their dog like a baby, petting, playing, and cuddling with it. In another situation the owner keeps their fog outside and uses it as a watchdog. The only interaction with the dog is just checking to make sure it has food and water, and maybe a quick pat on the head, and gives it a â€Å"good dog† praise. It is quite easy to see that he first person loves their dog. It is not so easy to tell in the second si tuation. They may truly love their dog and that was how they were raised to treat it. They could also have emotional attachments to the dog, such as being proud, without really caring about the dog. Kind of like my dog is bigger than your dog pride. Within the law both situations are considered equal, even though they are unequal in the emotional attachment to their animals. Living in Ohio we are familiar with the Amish culture. They live a more simplistic life without modern technologies, usually farming. Amish are known for their horse-drawn buggies that they use to get around. They also use horses to help on the farm. To some of them, horses are merely a tool and once the horse gets too old and can no longer do what they need it to do, the kill it, To them that is just the way it is, they do not consider that being cruel, People outside the Amish lifestyle have tried to come in and rescue the horses so that they can continue to live, even though they cannot work anymore. Amish are also known for owning ‘Puppy Mills’. Puppy mills are breeding kennels in which dozens, or even hundreds, of dogs are allowed to live in small cages for their whole life, as long as they are given the basics, food, water, and shelter. (Puppy Mills) These mills are not illegal. Some of these Amish-owned [puppy mills treat their dogs very poorly. â€Å"The Amish say they raise dogs much as they would any other livestock, restricting the dogs  to small cages and killing the parents when they are no longer productive† (Hinds). To most people this sounds horrific because they consider them to be companions, not livestock. Animal cruelty is subjective, and that is why legislation is not working to stop it, there needs to be an objective measuring system to measure an animal’s current welfare. There is debate to what standards need to measure and of what weight to put on each of the standards. The one thing that is known is: â€Å"Defendable animal welfare standards require scientific knowledge about animal biology to determine their physiologic, health, environmental, an behavioral requirements. However it is important to note that ethical or value-based judgments provide the underpinning for the scientific questions posed† (Millman). By looking at an animal’s physical behavior, and other factors, and comparing them to the standards, the welfare of the animal can be determined. Millman was talking about measuring the welfare of livestock. The same theory can be applied to companion animals as well. If there are things that [people can look at to determine objectively that an animal is being related cruelly, then legislation will be able to be written that will apply to everyone and will work in every situation, no matter the emotional connection to the animal. Once there is an objective way to measure animal cruelty, the public need to be educated about it. IF more people know what exactly counts as animal cruelty, then they will be more likely to report it. Currently, shows like Animal Cops: Houston bring animal cruelty out of the shadows and show the public that animals are really being abused and that people do get punished for their actions. The Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is just one of the numerous societies in the U.S. that are fighting against animal cruelty. It is said that â€Å"The HSPCA receives over 10,000 reports of animal cruelty or neglect each year† (About Animal Cops: Houston: Animal Planet). People need to be aware of animal abuse to be able to report it. â€Å"Without phone calls from concerned citizens, officials wouldn’t know about most instances of animal abuse. IT all comes from the public† (Maloney). Once people report cases than the people can actually be punished for their actions. In Ohio, Whoever violates the current animal abuse law can be convicted of a misdemeanor of several degrees, and possible a felony of a certain degree. The punishments include jail time and fines, along with the removal of the animal from the convicted person. Some people do not think that the current punishments are fair for the crimes committed. One study gave people different scenarios and asked them to rate the punishment that was given. The Study showed that people were speciesist and chose harsher punishments for abuse on certain animals like puppies as compared to other animals such as chickens. The study found that the most important factor of the punishment was restricting the perpetrator’s ability to adopt an animal in the future. The study also found that the crime type (abuse or neglect) and the crime outcome (life or death) were not strong variables of punishment ratings (Sims). In Some cases, the abuse or neglect of an animal was just because of ignorance. IN those cases the person usually would just be educated about the proper treatment of animals and would not be punished, unless they were found to have not changed and still committed the abuse even though they knew it was wrong. Each crime is different and is judge d by different people so the perpetrator’s punishment tends to vary a bit. IF there was an objective way of identifying animal cruelty then it would be easier to make punishments fairer. The key to fairly assessing animal cruelty is being able to objectively identify it. Once it becomes objective, emotional ties will not determine what is cruelly. People then need to be aware of what is considered animal cruelty and report it when the see it. After that the crime can be fairly punished.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Bylaws of Natural Health Essay

Section 1: Membership shall consist only of the Director/President, Jason Wilson. ARTICLE III – AMENDMENTS Section 1: These Bylaws may be amended when necessary. ARTICLE VI Restrictions on Actions 1. All the assets and earnings of the Corporation shall be used exclusively for its exempt purposes, including the payment of expenses incidental thereto. No part of any net earnings shall inure to the benefit of any employee of the Corporation or be distributed to its Directors, officers, or any private person. 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of these bylaws, the Corporation will not carry on any activities not permitted by an organization exempt under Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code, 1986, or the corresponding provision of any future federal law, or organizations whose contributions which are exempt under Section 170(c)(2), Internal Revenue Code, 1986, or the corresponding provision of any future federal law. The Corporation shall have no capital stock, pay no dividends, distribute no part of its net income or assets to any Directors, Officers, and private property of the subscribers, Directors or Officers shall not be liable for the debts of the Corporation. 3. No substantial part of the Corporation’s activity shall be for the carrying on of a campaign of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation. The Corporation shall not participate in any political campaign, will not engage in political campaigns or attempt to influence legislation or interfere with any political campaign on behalf or in opposition to any candidate for public office. 4. In particular, but not without limitation of the generality of the foregoing paragraph, during such time as the Corporation may be considered a private foundation as defined by Section 509(a), Internal Revenue Code, 1986, or the corresponding provision of any future federal law, it shall not: A. Fail to distribute its income for each taxable year at such time and in such manner as not to become subject to the tax on undistributed income imposed by Section 4942, Internal Revenue Code, 1986, or the corresponding provision of any future federal law. B. Engage in any act of self dealing as defined in Section 4941(d), Internal Revenue Code, 1986, or the corresponding provision of any future federal law. C. Retain any excess business holdings as defined in Section 4943(c), Internal Revenue Code, 1986, or the corresponding provision of any future federal law. D. Make any investment on such manner as to subject it to tax under Section 4944, Internal Revenue Code, 1986, or the corresponding provision of any future federal law. E. Make any taxable expenditures as defined in Section 4945(d), Internal Revenue Code, 1986, or the corresponding provision of any future federal law. These bylaws were adopted on July 30, 2012. Jason Wilson, President

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Persian Gulf War Essays - IraqUnited States Relations

The Persian Gulf War Essays - IraqUnited States Relations The Persian Gulf War subject = U.S. History title = The Persian Gulf War The Persian Gulf War-the Feat of the Western Countries On August 2nd, 1990 Iraqi military forces invaded and occupied the small Arab state of Kuwait. The order was given by Iraqi dictatorial president Saddam Hussein. His aim was apparently to take control Kuwaits oil reserves (despite its small size Kuwait is a huge oil producer; it has about 10 per cent of the worlds oil reserves ). Iraq accused Kuwait, and also the United Arab Emirates, of breaking agreements that limit oil production in the Middle East. According to Saddam Hussein, this brought down world oil prices severely and caused financial loss of billions of dollars in Iraqs annual revenue. Saddam Hussein had the nearly hopeless task of justifying the invasion. He plead the fact that Kuwait had been part of the Ottoman province of Basra, a city in the south of Iraq. However, the Ottoman province collapsed after World War I and todays Iraqi borders were not created until then. There was also a further and more obvious blunder in a bid to justify this illegal invasion. Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, had namely recognized Kuwaiti independence in 1963. Furthermore, Hussein claimed that Kuwait had illegally pumped oil from the Iraqi oil field of Rumaila and otherwise conspired to reduce Iraqs essential oil income. By invading Kuwait, Iraq succeeded in surprising the entire world. The USA ended her policy of accommodating Saddam Hussein, which had existed since the Iran-Iraq war. Negative attitude toward Iraq was soon a worldwide phenomenon. The United Nations Security Council passed 12 resolutions condemning the invasion. The ultimate decision was to use military force if Iraq did not withdraw unconditionally by January 15, 1991. Then, when the deadline was set, it was time to start preparing for the worst-the war. President George Bush confronted little difficulty in winning Americans support for the potential war against Iraq. However, the government found it difficult to decide upon and state one overriding reason for going to war. Was it to oppose aggression or was it just to protect global oil supplies? Other powers were more directly concerned as consumers of Persian Gulf oil, but they were not as eager to commit military force, to risk their youth in battle and to pay for the costs of the war. Critics of President Bush continued to maintain that he was taking advantage of the issue of energy supplies in order to manipulate the U. S. public opinion in favor of war. After consulting with U. S. Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney in early August 1990, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia invited American troops onto Saudi soil. He had seen Kuwaits destiny; therefore, he wanted protection. It was also the interest of the USA to stop any further advantage of the Iraqi army. The deployment was called Operation Desert Shield. These troops were armed with light, defensive weaponry. On November 8, 1990 President Bush announced a military buildup to provide an offensive option, Operation Desert Storm, to force Iraq out of Kuwait. The preparation of the operation took two and a half months and it involved a massive air- and sea lift. Finally, in January 1991, the U. S. Congress voted to support Security Council resolution 660. It authorized using all necessary means if Iraq did not withdraw from Kuwait by January 15. Shrugging off this final warning, Saddam Hussein resolutely maintained the occupation of Kuwait. The United States established a broad-based international coalition to confront Iraq militarily and diplomatically. The military coalition consisted of Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Honduras, Italy, Kuwait, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Spain, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The war also was financed by countries which were unable to send in troops. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were the main donors. More than $53 billion was pledged and received. Before the war, it appeared obvious that Iraq would have very little chance against the Coalition. The relative strength between the parties was extremely unequal. The most critical difference was that the Coalition had a total of 2600 aircraft, over three times more than Iraqs 800 aircraft. Most Arab observers thought Hussein would not last more than six months. Lieutenant General Khalid bin Sultan, the commander of the Arab coalition forces, gave Iraqs leader only 40 days, and repeated this prediction many times. Iraqs

Monday, October 21, 2019

Origins of the Scientific Method Essay Example

Origins of the Scientific Method Essay Example Origins of the Scientific Method Essay Origins of the Scientific Method Essay It is only through the scientific method that the knowledge in the field of sciences can be verified.   Scientists must recognize that their assumptions and experience can be good sources for ideas, these ideas may be flawed. This is why scientists have to undergo the processes using scientific methods to validate both descriptions and explanations of phenomena in their discipline. Central to all scientific methods is the requirement that all propositions, or hypotheses, be subjected to empirical testing, and that this research be carried out in such a way that it can be observed, evaluated, and replicated by others. The four goals of scientific research are to: â€Å"(1) describe a phenomenon, (2) predict the occurrence of the phenomenon, (3) determine the origin or the causal event underlying this occurrence, and (4) explain the process creating or producing the phenomenon†. The scientific method provides a set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting this informa tion (Malakoff, 1999).The development of scientific method is history is quite vague. This is because while the scientific method may appear to be both a practical and logical method of investigating scientific phenomena, it actually took a considerable amount of time for the method to evolve into its current form (Grinell 1992, p. 15). During the time of the ancient Greeks, philosophers such as Aristotle did not employ experimentation to confirm their observations. Aristotle thought that â€Å"science is not mere description or the ability to predict on the basis of previous experience; the aim of science is causal explanation in the interest of understanding†. However, Aristotle based his â€Å"scientific explanation† to consist intelligible ideas without any experimental basis (Dougherty, 2006). In fact, the great Greek philosophers believed that observation alone, without the support of either experiments or mathematics, was satisfactory enough to understand the re ality of the world around them.Relying merely on observation as â€Å"scientific thinking† persisted for centuries. It was not until the Renaissance period in Europe, and a resurgence of an interest in invention, science, and discovery, that scientists began to mathematically and experimentally question the world around them. One of the first documented uses of experimentation to confirm observations was by William Gilbert in 1600. Gilbert was a prominent physician of his time who became interested in applying the principles of magnetism to medicine. In a book entitled De Magnete (The Magnet) Gilbert outlined a detailed inductive investigative approach to explain the use of magnets in medicine. The results of his studies had far-reaching implications on science. His research on magnetism provided the foundation for studies well into the 18th century (Windelspecht, 2002, p. 208).Most readings generally attribute the use of scientific method to Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). Actu ally, there is an anecdote how Galileo formulated the scientific method. As the story goes, the young boy Galileo moved with his family to Florence, the heart of Renaissance culture. When he was 17, he left for the University of Pisa to study medicine, a career his father, a none-too-wealthy mathematician, had encouraged Galileo to enter. While in Pisa one day, young Galileo was sitting in the cathedral when he noticed the pendulum swing of the beautiful chandelier that hung from the ceiling. Already more attuned to observing and pondering the mysteries of nature than attending to the philosophical abstractions of religious ritual, he became engrossed with the motion of the chandeliers swing. Timing it against his pulse, he noticed that, for as long as he watched it, the chandelier completed the same number of swings in the same number of pulse beats. The arc of pendulum swings might become shorter as time passed, but the elapsed time from the beginning of one swing to the beginning of the next always remained the same. Later, at home, Galileo pushed the point further. To verify his observations he set up a simple set of experiments. He tried pendulums tied with weights of different sizes. He made them swing in wide arcs, in medium arcs, and in small arcs, always timing against his pulse (the best time measurement he had at that point). The number of swings in a given length of time never varied unless he changed the length of the string (Drake, 2001, p. 33-34).What Galileo found was the basis about movement and dynamics. But even more important was the method he used to conduct his small experiment: Instead of just reasoning his ideas through logically, in the manner of the ancient Greek philosophers and most of his contemporaries- the scientists or â€Å"natural philosophers† of his day- he measured time and distance and introduced mathematics into physics. Then he tested and proved his point by experiment.It turned out that anyone could repeat Galile o’s experiment and get the same results- another principle that became key to the â€Å"scientific method.† Although others including Francis Bacon and William Gilbert had championed this method, Galileo was really the first who consistently used this repeatable and verifiable approach. He intentionally designed his experiments so that they could be easily reproduced and verified. More importantly, Galileo had used mathematical principles to solve problems of the physical world. This combination of the deductive and inductive processes was the true beginning of the modern scientific method. Despite criticism from colleagues, Galileo continued this method of scientific inquiry in his future studies on the laws of motion.Finally, the scientific method came into full circle when Isaac Newton used it. Isaac Newton was considered by many to be the driving force behind the scientific revolution of the 17th century. In scientific methodology, Newton built on the foundations o f scientific thought presented by Galileo, Gilbert, and Bacon.   In 1687, as part of a landmark physics publication entitled Principia Mathematica, Newton outlined the basis for scientific thought that persists to this day. The major premises presented by Newton firmly established the link between mathematics, including the new mathematics of calculus, and analytical thought. In his method, Newton did not simply support his statements with philosophical thought. Newton put forth the idea that the results of experimentation and observation should be considered to be accurate until disproved by scientific processes. By using the experimental principles set forth by Galileo, Newton used the scientific method to examine the universal laws of nature. The combination of deductive mathematics and inductive experimental reasoning proved to be a successful combination for Newton and through his success found application in all scientific disciplines (Harper, 2002, p. 174-175).At present, t he scientific method is essential in any scientific undertaking. It is an essential process according to which scientists assimilate the existing information, usually by studying scientific journals and other professional publications. Then they develop testable hypotheses. They design and carry out the research necessary to test this hypothesis. Finally they write up their results as a scientific report. Following peer review, the report may be published in the technical literature. In this way, it fertilizes the body of scientific knowledge for the benefit of humankind.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Answers to Reader Questions About Hyphens

Answers to Reader Questions About Hyphens Answers to Reader Questions About Hyphens Answers to Reader Questions About Hyphens By Mark Nichol Questions about hyphens come up often in correspondence from Daily Writing Tips readers. I’ve answered a few of the queries here. 1. Should â€Å"higher cost† and â€Å"higher earning† be hyphenated in â€Å"replace higher cost funding and â€Å"repurpose collateral into higher earning assets†? Yes, to clarify that you’re referring to funding that is higher cost, not cost funding that is higher, and assets that are higher earning, not earning assets that are higher, hyphenate in both cases. (Even though â€Å"cost funding† and â€Å"earning assets† are not standing phrases, the hyphens help readers avoid being distracted by reading them that way.) 2. I would have expected some nagging [in this post] about the hyphen; would it not be better to have torch-bearer or torchbearer [in place of â€Å"torch bearer†]? You’re right I used the correct form of torchbearer in my commentary but neglected to notice and note that the tattoo incorrectly styles the word as an open compound. I guess I was distracted. Treatment of various open compounds with a common element aren’t necessarily consistent: One who bears a torch is a torchbearer, but one who bears a standard is a standard-bearer, and one who bears an ensign (essentially the same as a standard) is an ensign bearer. It’s nearly unbearable. 3. Nice list [of reduplicative doublets]. I’m intrigued some of them are hyphenated and some not. I wonder what the deciding factor is for that. Good point about the hyphenation; I should have included a note about that. Because English has never had a body that regulates standards, inclusion or exclusion of hyphens in such constructions, as in many other language matters, is arbitrarily and inconsistently based on a variety of factors. 4. Given your recent article on possessives, I wanted to write in with a question. There is typically a notice period of thirty, sixty, or ninety days required before an investor is allowed to redeem. How does one state this? I’ve seen it as â€Å"ninety days’ notice† (as if the notice belonged to the ninety days) and â€Å"ninety days notice.† I typically restate it as â€Å"ninety day notice period† to avoid this ambiguity, but then I’m not sure if that should properly be â€Å"ninety-day† or if the dash is not needed. The correct form is â€Å"ninety days’ notice (meaning â€Å"notice of ninety days†). The phrase is written in the genitive case, in which a noun modifies another noun, usually in the form of one noun possessing the other (â€Å"ninety days notice† is common but incorrect). If you continue to use your alternative phrasing, a hyphen should connect ninety and days â€Å"ninety-day notice period† but I recommend â€Å"ninety days’ notice.† 5. Thanks for the funny signs [link to post]! â€Å"Shouldn’t â€Å"ill advised’ and ‘well educated’ have been hyphenated in your examples? Phrasal adjectives such as the ones you mentioned, often hyphenated before a noun, should be styled without a hyphen when they follow the noun. Here’s a post about that particular point; you’ll find more posts about phrasal adjectives by searching for that phrase on this site. Note: Many Daily Writing Tips readers ask questions about various language issues in the comment field for a post, while others send queries as an email message to the site. We welcome your notes, but please comment rather than email; that way, other site visitors will be able to read your questions and my responses as well as notes from other readers. (I try to answer all specific requests for information or clarification or refer readers to existing applicable content, though sometimes I rely on other readers to weigh in on comments.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with35 Genres and Other Varieties of FictionGrammatical Case in English

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Bhagavad Gita or The Divine Song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bhagavad Gita or The Divine Song - Essay Example A majority of the sacred texts or scriptures have been composed in the Sanskrit language and are commonly classified into two classes, Sruti and Smriti. Sruti means that which has been heard. Vedas which are the earliest record of the Hindu scriptures belong to this class. Hindu texts other than the Shrutis are collectively called the Smritis which means "memory". The most notable among the Smritis are the epics such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Mahabharata can be considered as belonging to the Smriti class. On the other hand, many consider Gita as a Sruti because its contents are quite ancient and have been taken from the Upanishads. In fact, the Bhagavad Gita is also known as the Gitopanishad. Incidentally, in Ch. 4 of the Gita there is a mention about the knowledge in the Gita being very ancient and traditionally being transmitted orally, implying that Gita is a Sruti. The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most sacred scriptures and for Hindus, it is an authoritative work on the fundamental philosophy of Hinduism. Scriptures can be defined as texts that are considered sacred by religions and are of central importance to religions. Many religions believe that scriptures are texts that have been inspired by the divine. Bhagavad Gita is a scripture if you consider these parameters. It is sacred to the Hindus; it is an inspirational dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. It is central to Hindu philosophy. The Gita has two main topics: yoga-sastra and brahma-vidya.