Enhancement Technologies and the Body

transcript

By Dr. Linda F. Hogle

A Presentation by Kathryn Harmon

About the Author… Dr. Linda F. Hogle

- Graduated with a Ph.D. from UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley in Medical Anthropology in 1996

- Currently a Professor of Medical Social Sciences at the University of Wisconsin

- Has written a number of papers and a book on medical social issues

- Former director of the Robert & Jean Holtz Center for Science and Technology Studies

Definitions and Assumptions

“Bodies are imperfect, variable, and in a state of

constant degeneration and needed repair.”

“Aging [is] a social and economic problem”

“interdisciplinary field which studies ‘human health and

disease, health care systems, and biocultural adaptation.’ ”

Medical Anthropology

According to Wikipedia.org

“[are] … interventions intended to improve human function or characteristics beyond what is necessary to sustain health or

repair the body.”

Enhancement Technologies

- Dictionary.com: - “Conforming to the standard or the common type;

usual” - “Establishes the standard”- “Free from any infection or other form of disease or

malformation”

- Both a qualitative and quantitative measurement

- Defined by local culture and statistics of the general population

What is “normal” ?

- Bioethics - Anthropology of Enhancement

Technologies - Cosmetic Procedures - Cyborg Prosthetics - Cognitive Enhancement - Genetic Enhancement and

Regenerative Medicine

The Focuses

Cosmetic Procedures

The Focuses

Enhancements for Disabilities

Enhancements for Abilities

The Focuses

Cognitive Enhancements

The Focuses

Genetic Enhancement and Regenerative

Medicine

- The main focus of this article is the bioethics of enhancement technologies.

- This is an issue that we will have to face in the coming years as technology advances at an exponential rate

Why do we care?

I want to make cyborgs…

Personally…

Why do we need more research?

- At times it lacked depth in analysis and lacked actual “solutions”

- It read more like a book report at times than a study

Shortcomings

- The amount of works cited was immense and established a good amount of credibility.

- Very easy language

- Dives into the history behind different technologies

Great Things About the Article

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

Article – Annual Reviews, Enhancement Technologies and the Body by Linda F. Hogle. PDF is attached on wiki page. All quotes are from the text unless other wise stated.Normal - http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/normal Picture and Info for Dr. Hogle - http://medhist.wisc.edu/faculty/hogle/index.shtml Cosmetic Surgery - http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/maps_and_graphs/2010/2/1/1265049142417/Patient-with-Surgical-Mar-001.jpg Arm - http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YdkwICFKN5Q/UJkiOsoCYHI/AAAAAAAA14Q/U2tKujvRRH4/s1600/arm.jpg PowerStrider in Action - http://hm6v.com/pogosticks/powerstrider-olympic-aluminum-stilts-1-pair-upto-152-lbs/ & http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3126/2607659233_9f12ce0744_z.jpg Paralympian & Girl - http://blog.sfgate.com/olympics/2012/08/06/oscar-pistorius-in-the-best-picture-you%E2%80%99ll-see/ Raytheon’s Iron Man Suit - http://o.aolcdn.com/photo-hub/news_gallery/6/8/688002/1285701904121.JPEG & http://www.army-technology.com/features/featuremilitary-exoskeletons-uncovered-ironman-suits-a-concrete-possibility Phantoms of the Brain - http://richworks.deviantart.com/art/The-Phantoms-of-the-Brain-166287384

Works and Images Cited

Bladder Regeneration - http://www.michaeltomczyk.com/images/AtalaBladder_060404_bladder_hmed_7a_hmedium.jpg Girl DNA Image - http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/genetic-enhancement-1.jpg Wikipedia – Medical Anthropology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_anthropology Terminator - http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080313215658/terminator/images/a/ac/Terminator3-09.jpg

Enhancement Technologies and the Body

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