A California family was outraged recently when their grandfather was told that he had very little time to live by a "robot", or rather, what the media described as a robot. In fact, it was a teleconference screen mounted on a robot lectern. I don't suppose that the distinction makes much difference. The elderly man's children and grandchildren were horrified by the cold detachment of the procedure.
The hospital apologised, of course, but the incident is symptomatic of the impersonality which pervades our culture. Prodded on by our love affair with technology, human relations are being reduced to formal interactions. It may be overstating it to say that competence in face-to-face contact is a dying art -- but something is changing. To have a dozen Facebook "friends", for instance, is hardly the same as having a dozen friends.
But an even more -- I was thinking of inserting the word "sinister" but I won't -- application is the reduction of human sexuality to the twin and separable functions of recreation and reproduction. In an article below, British IVF pioneer Simon Fishel predicts that robots will handle the whole process of conception, from harvesting gametes to transferring embryos.
It seems to me that defending humane relationships will be one of the key challenges to bioethics in the coming decades.
The hospital apologised, of course, but the incident is symptomatic of the impersonality which pervades our culture. Prodded on by our love affair with technology, human relations are being reduced to formal interactions. It may be overstating it to say that competence in face-to-face contact is a dying art -- but something is changing. To have a dozen Facebook "friends", for instance, is hardly the same as having a dozen friends.
But an even more -- I was thinking of inserting the word "sinister" but I won't -- application is the reduction of human sexuality to the twin and separable functions of recreation and reproduction. In an article below, British IVF pioneer Simon Fishel predicts that robots will handle the whole process of conception, from harvesting gametes to transferring embryos.
It seems to me that defending humane relationships will be one of the key challenges to bioethics in the coming decades.
 Michael Cook Editor BioEdge |  |  |  |
NEWS THIS WEEK
by Michael Cook | Mar 17, 2019
After the Chinese scandal, there are renewed calls for a global halt by Michael Cook | Mar 17, 2019
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez opens up a discussion with her followers by Michael Cook | Mar 17, 2019
British IVF pioneer predicts that robots will take over reproduction by Michael Cook | Mar 17, 2019
Can prisoners give informed consent? by Michael Cook | Mar 17, 2019
Probably not with a robot by Michael Cook | Mar 17, 2019
An Alabama prisoner died after the warden issued a DNR by Michael Cook | Mar 17, 2019
Even small sums make a differenceby Michael Cook | Mar 15, 2019
For the fundamentals, it’s still relevant BioEdge
Level 1, 488 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015 Australia
Phone: +61 2 8005 8605
Mobile: 0422-691-615
No comments:
Post a Comment