This week I would like
us to think and discussed about stereotypes in a field that not such a long ago
was mentioned only in sf-movies. Modern technology is making a great progress
in field of bionic prostheses and other artificial adjustment to treat our disabilities.
New developments at the intersection of computer science, engineering,
robotics, and medicine include exo-skeletons for people with paraplegia,
powered and computer-controlled leg prostheses, fully articulate bionic hands,
and cochlear implants for people who are deaf. Beyond the technological aspects
of this progress we are also facing the psychological change, German researchers
performed a study with hypothesis that increase
in use of bionic technologies (e.g.,
bionic arm and leg prostheses, exo-skeletons, retina implants, etc.) has the
potential to change stereotypes toward people with physical disabilities.
I recommend to you
this great TED-Talk on bionic prostheses :
After that please
share your thought about:
1. What do you think of such modification of
human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of
replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
3. What do you think change in our
perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a
less competent than those with bionic ones?
1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteIf they are to facilitate a person's life or enable normal functioning, I am for it. It's fun to watch a person who has been paralyzed for several years and starts walking. Science is power!
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
Replacing when they are safe and sound is not. But when they are gone, I am in favor of replacing them.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
I have a friend who has an artificial leg. If you don't know it - you won't find it. So you can't see him wrong. This is a bold statement that they are perceived wrongly. In my opinion it doesn't work that way.
Hi Michał,
DeleteThanks for your comment, the studies about perception of people with physical disabilities was performed in two set of studies on more than 400 participants, and gave interesting results. They highlight that despite being somewhat mixed, these findings show that technology can affect stereotypes and interpersonal perceptions.
1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteI think that this is good oportunity for people with physical disability to start to live normally. Common prostheses don't get as good result as bionic. To be honest I was shocked when I saw dancer with bionic prostheses. That was just amazing!
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
That possibility seems to be great but I think that in the next ten years that wouldn't be possible in many hospitals. Nowadays we could replace heart, lung and kidney but not for long. I'm for it to replace human organs using artifical in case when it's an only possibility for us to live.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
I think this is due to less mobility of that people. They can do the same thing as healthy people but very often a little slowly.
Thanks for your thoughts,
DeleteI agree with your opinion about development of artificial organs transplantology. I hope that progress in this field will be more dynamic due to the application of 3d printing, with could provide the accessibility of organs in every hospital with transplantology department.
Thank you for this very interesting TED-Talk, I did not know that such advanced prostheses are being made.
ReplyDelete1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
Any development of science that enables people with disabilities to return to normal life should be something we strive for. As was said in the film, everyone should be able to return to full performance, if bionic technology makes it possible, we should definitely continue to develop it.
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
I am fascinated by the idea that one day we will be able to treat illnesses which at the moment are insurmountable for us. However, I would limit it only to treating and not improving the healthy parts of the body.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
Perhaps the fact that bionic prostheses behave more naturally allows us to forget about it and pay no attention to the other person's disability.
Hi Przemek,
DeleteThank you for your comment, and the fact that you pay attention to important matter. In my opinion there is a huge difference in morality of replacing failing humans parts, and let's say "upgrading" them on demand. I imagine that this will have to be decided, what we as society agree for and what should be forbidden
1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteOf course I'm in favour of using bionic prosthetics. In my opinion, there are no contraindications to use such dentures. I am also in favour of such dentures being more and more technically advanced. It is also important that not only bionic prostheses of limbs but also other organs such as liver or pancreas are created. I am aware that this is very difficult. Although hope appears in the latter, because a bionic pancreas is formed. The newly emerging bionic pancreas consists of pancreatic islands embedded in a special biological biotome, which is supposed to imitate a natural place of existence in the pancreas. A vascular system is printed around the pancreatic islands, to which we have connected an active flow.
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
If there is a need because a part of the body is sick, I think it should be replaced by a bionic part. Another situation is when someone wants to make a cyborg out of themselves. The current level of technology does not allow for such transplants. It is currently difficult to obtain a bionic cornea. Bioethicists fear that in the future it will be possible to produce an artificial human being.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
Why should I assess someone's competence on the basis of whether they have a bionic or normal prosthesis? I don't want to be operated with artificial limbs. And it does not matter whether it is a bionic or a normal limb. Because I know that the level of technology does not allow for faithful transmission of movements and feelings. A completely different issue is the medical robot. It was created for this purpose. And for this purpose it is usually used only in a few types of procedures. Referring to the question. I would not assess the competence of a programmer with artificial hands. And it wouldn't matter if they are bionic hands or regular prostheses. It all depends on the profession the person is doing.
Hello Andrzej,
DeleteThanks for your extensive comment. I didn't know that the progress of creation a bionic pancreas is at so advanced level, It's a great news!
In case of third questions I shared the hypothesis of a German researchers, they stands by the thesis according to the Stereotype Content Model that construes attributions of warmth and competence as the core dimensions of stereotypes, people with physical disabilities are generally perceived as warm-but-incompetent, i.e., are faced with paternalistic stereotypes.
1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteI would love to try it on myself, I would like to be a cyborg. I think this will be a new stage of evolution, but I’m sure that this will bring a lot of problems to society.
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
Yes of course, it saves many lives, or improves them.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
I find it very difficult to answer this question. I try not to evaluate people at all, and I think that this is a relic of the past
Hi Sebastin,
DeleteThanks for your thoughts.
Even though we are trying to be objective, the stereotypes exists, and probably will be existing in a future. In my opinion interesting is the evolution of how our perception of people with disabilities change due to the addition of technology to theirs bodies. It's similar to difference between disabled and cyborg.
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ReplyDelete1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteIt’s difficult to answer this question. I have mixed feeling about this topic. When I saw the TED video I was surprised how technology go forward. It’s amazing. People without a part of body can normally live and do task available for healthy people. I think it’s a bad idea to use mechanical improvement for healthy people. Our muscles need work to do to be strong. Today we have less time to make sport. When we replace part of our body which a mechanical one we become an android or hybrid human. The world of Terminator will be reality. I know it’s a dark scenario and I hope it will never happend.
2.Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
No. I think it’s too dangerous. If we replace parts of our body we became an android. AI will control our movement and if we lost control we can eg. do something bad. For people how have disabilities it could be a solution to have a normal life.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
It’s a difficult question. I think it depends on usability. People with bionic prostheses can do much more that one with plastic one.
Thanks for the comment, I also have a hope that we won’t be living in Terminator reality.
DeleteI'm a little bit confused by the fact that even though you find technology progress in bionic filed as amazing, you don't support the idea of artificial organs transplantation. Or it's only true in case of not life threating procedures?
1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteI think that the idea of bionic is very promising and it can be leading topic in science. The video where the man presents possibilities of bionic prostheses is very interesting. I did not realize that such prostheses exist. The bionic prostheses help people with physical disabilities live normally. The dancer with one bionic prosthesis surprised me!
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
I am in favor of replacing humans organs with artificial ones but only when the person for people who have physical disabilities. If somebody cannot not live with his/her organs, it is obvious for me that medicine should enable him/her to obtain artificial ones. I do not support replacing human organs with artificial merely because somebody does not like his/her organs.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
People like judge other people. Sometimes they say same positive complements but it happens that they can gossip about them and hurt others. Some people like judging other only by look. I think it could happen that some people might consider persons with physical disabilities worse than people who do not have problem with moving. The bionic prostheses look more aesthetically than plastic prostheses and if somebody puts up long trousers or skirt, nobody will know that he/she has an artificial organ. Fortunately, I think that the awareness of people is growing and within several years there will be no people judging the others on the basis of their ability/disability to move.
Thanks for your thoughts Monika,
DeleteThe view of a dancer with bionic prosthesis also have had an impact on me. I thought this could give a hope to so many people who had to abended their passions due to a severe injury. The showed technology not only let them walk again but be able to do so specific movements as dancing steps.
1. I think that such solutions are very useful for people with disabilities. It is much easier to have all the limbs than to ride a wheelchair, walk on crutches etc. especially for the elderly. I am a supporter of bionic prostheses. It is surprising how science has advanced and it is now possible to create a prosthesis that behaves like a real one. This is a new start for people after accidents, war invalids so that they do not feel alienated from the environment.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, if the exchange occurs at the time of actual "wear and tear" or disease of the concerned organ. Not when someone wants to artificially extend their life or rejuvenate themselves. As in the case of a billionaire who had a heart transplant 5 times! The average person most often will not live long enough to find compatible heart donor in time. As we know, people who would like to become donors of e.g. kidneys are scarce. Therefore, the creation of artificial organs is a great hope for the sick and those who have been waiting for transplant for years. Of course, artificial organs should be made of safe materials so that the risk of infection or rejection of a new organ by the body is kept to a minimum. They should also be at least partially refunded by public healthcare to not be an unattainable dream for average people. Personally, I am waiting for a breakthrough in medicine regarding the creation of artificial blood. It would revolutionize the world for sure.
3. I think this is due to the fact that ordinary prosthesis are not as mobile and similar to real limbs. I think that more often we pay attention to a person who has a simple prosthesis and, for example, grabs things in a different way than we do. The act of grasping when a person has a bionic prosthesis is more akin to our natural grasping, so it is harder for us to notice the differences between us and the disabled person.
Hi Monika, thanks for your comment. I agree with you that artificial organs transplantology should be available to everybody, not only for wealthy ones. And also that the transplant should occurred due to medical reasons only. In case of third question I think that maybe the attitude shown by media in terms of bionic is impacting the social change in perception of people with disabilities.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm in favor of bionic prostheses or at least I don't have anything against them. If there will be any public debate on this issue on other ground than the economical one than I will be very surprised. Such prostheses seems much more practical and functional.
ReplyDeleteIf it's for the medical reasons I don't see any points against replacing human organs with the artificial ones considering that they're superior in some important aspects. If it's just a "body enhancement" than I'm not sure. Personally I wouldn't be interested in something like this, I would treat it like tattoos or piercings.
Bionic prostheses seems to be more functional so it naturally may lead to perceiving people using them as being able to perform greater range of tasks or at least with a greater ease than with plastic prostheses.
Thanks for your comment Adam.
DeleteI agree with your point of view on third question.
We see bionic parts as better and more reliable than human's so the same is happening while we are judging the abilities of people with these additions of technology.
1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm all in. When natural organs fail, it's the only moral stance, after all - you only live once.
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
I hope we are talking about failing organs only. While being superior in some aspects, artificial organs have two main problems, and two smaller ones. First is the interface - problems with securely attaching to human body. Then, there is power supply, which is parallel to our natural one - so increases "maintenance costs". Then there are two smaller ones: complexity and resulting failures, and finally - artificially inflated prices and monopolies (note all those Ⓡs in article body).
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
It might be something similar to the way we judge people in general: someone in smart suit is perceived better (in general) than someone wearing rags. Also, I think the research covers stereotyping, that is how we judge some anonymous masses. Once we get to know actual person, and learn about reasons of the choices, I hope we judge real competence level rather than stereotypical.
Thanks for your thoughts Przemek.
ReplyDeleteYou propose an interesting arguments at artificial organs transplantology concepts, that I didn't think of. I found out that, we are thinking about two different types of organs, yours are mechanical (I assume) and mine are organic, 3D printed, as good as human's. I'm wondering in which way the technology will go.
Hi Klara! It was nice to read the article and to watch the Ted talk. I'm a big fan of expanding human limitations through the technology, especially when it comes to people with disabilities. From my perspective, if we develop a better version of, for example, cardiovascular system, and we could decide if to apply it to all infants, I'd say yes, let's do it. Of course there would be multiple groups of people who would be against that movement of upgrades. Right now, we cannot accept even members of our species' who are not exactly the same on form, as we are. But that would be a kind of revolution that would define a new frontiers for our vitality.
ReplyDelete1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteI believe that such prostheses can often make someone's life easier. Let return (partial) to independence, normality. Such people will not feel unacceptable or even as a burden to their loved ones. The worst is powerlessness, and such prostheses can certainly facilitate the performance of basic activities, and thus increase their own value.
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
I believe that everyone has the right to be independent of third parties in at least basic activities. So I strongly support this possibility. Certainly a person who in an accident lost, e.g. limb (or part of it) would like to return to a normal life and not break down.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
In my opinion, we do not perceive people with artificial dentures in a worse way. For me they are not "incomplete" just because they have an artificial prosthesis. Maybe I look at such people with compassion more than as someone else. They are still human and deserve the same treatment as "complete" people.
1. I have seen this video in the past and in my opinion presented technology looks totally amazing. It can completely change lives of disabled people. I am for sure in favour of bionic prostheses.
ReplyDelete2. It will be the perfect solution if we could exchange everything in human body with artificial equivalent. I can imagine that in the future we could exchange some parts of human brain for artificial ones and even replace neurons with artificial ones. I think that we even may have taken a first step in that direction:
https://singularityhub.com/2019/12/06/first-ever-artificial-neuron-could-let-us-repair-brain-injuries-with-silicon/
3. In my opinion bionic prostheses look like they give a much larger opportunity to move easily and more precisely and plastic prostheses cannot give such opportunity on the same level of quality.
1. What do you think of such modification of human body? Are you in favor of bionic prostheses?
ReplyDeleteSometimes it goes into the 'uncanny valley', but I think we shouldn't prevent these developments in any way.
2. Are you a in favor of a trend of replacing humans organs with artificial ones?
Yes, as a replacement for "used parts" from current mainstream transplantology. Throwing out good parts to replace them with technology, however, seems like unnecessary vendor lock-in.
3. What do you think change in our perception of disabilities, that we judge peoples with plastic prostheses as a less competent than those with bionic ones?
It's not about judgementalism, I think. Passive prostheses just don't give as much functionality. But this is also a function of cost - the successful bionic components are custom-tailored.