Lessons from Frankenstein 200 years on: brain organoids, chimaeras and other ‘monsters’

Koplin, Julian; Massie, John

doi:10.1136/medethics-2019-105839

Cited by 13 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, since life is a battleground and we do not know if "good will overcome evil or joy defeat pain" (Jung, 1969b, p. 85), the challenge is, thus, to avoid an uncontrollable Frankenstein-like outcome (Koplin and Massie, 2020). Despite the agony, affliction, traumas, complexes, and a deep state of ambivalence that emerged in most of my interviews, the centrality of control over life by merging with technology is undeniable.…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 93%

“…In the emblematic dystopian scenario portrayed in the Brave New World novel by Huxley (1932Huxley ( /2010, humans are made in laboratories in a process similar to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and genetic engineering, so the constitution of a "better society" can be achieved. These bio-engineered human beings can be seen as a manifestation of our extreme fear of disorder, uncertainty, and randomness, which could lead us to complete chaos and apocalyptical scenarios, such as being enslaved by a strong AI 7 (Agar, 2014;Bostrom, 2005;Davis, 2004;Fukuyama, 1992;Koplin and Massie, 2020;Miah, 2017;Wiener, 1963Wiener, /2019. In almost every dystopian setting, there is the presence of a strict system of hierarchies, functions, beliefs, and prohibitions, supposedly suppressing spontaneity, unpredictability, and accidents (Llosa, 1991).…”

Section: Unboxing the Gift From Prometheusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rejected by society and betrayed by his creator, the unnamed being decided to take revenge on Victor's family for all the offence and agony he had suffered. Is there a moral lesson to be learned from this careless pursuit of scientific achievements (Koplin and Massie, 2020)? Is it a warning to be cautious with the unknown and not "play God" (Peters, 2018)?…”

Section: Unboxing the Gift From Prometheusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Setting aside technophobic and eschatological circumstances, but not neglecting them (Fukuyama, 1992;Koplin and Massie, 2020), answers for these and other philosophical questions may be at the heart of the technoprogressive socio-political and the aggregate of philosophical schools of thought known as Transhumanism. Considered as one of the creators of the movement, Julian Huxley 8 stated that the present moment of our history is based on the idea that:…”

Section: Unboxing the Gift From Prometheusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This would lead to the blurring of symbolic and physical boundaries between fiction and reality, human and non-human, gods and monsters. This could then have several implications, such as difficulties in maintaining our sense of self (Belk, 1988(Belk, , 2013(Belk, , 2019a, social relationships (Langcaster- James and Bentley, 2018;Wells, 2014), sense of humanness (Haslam and Loughnan, 2014;Sheehan and Sosna, 1991), bioethics (Belk, 2020;Koplin and Massie, 2020), and notion of sacredness and profanity (Belk et al, 1989;Douglas, 1984;Hrynkow, 2020;Noble, 1999). In this scenario, Amal's TEDx talk on merging with technology refers directly to the cyborg, as a machine-like human (Belk, 2017a;Clynes and Kline, 1960), who is no longer just a myth, fantasy, or fiction but a real living entity composed of flesh and metal (Barfield, 2015;Boss, 2020;Goudey and Bonnin, 2016;Kraftchick, 2015;Lum et al, 2014;Petersén, 2019).…”

Section: Chapter: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Defying the Gods and the Odds: On Being a Cyborg

LIMA¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Humanity's fascination for achieving something beyond what is given by an Almighty divinity can be found in many episodes since ancient times. Our quest for creation, extension, and controlling different forms of life, such as gods do, has been semiotically echoed through religions, myths, SCI-FI productions, and, of course, science. From the magical creation of Homunculi to the Altered Carbon dystopian setting, several issues arise from this complex relationship, perhaps mainly because of the rebellious act of benevolence committed by Prometheus, the fire (technology)-bringer. Although prior studies investigated technology consumption from different perspectives, they mostly employed a Heideggerian approach to them and, thus, viewed the technological device as only a tool. Given the consumption of insideable technologies, the way that we have been experiencing the dissolving boundaries between humans and machines, and the emerging changes in the human ontological status, the ensuing consequences, remain overlooked. To explore this singular phenomenon, based on abductive reasoning, I developed my theorization on the Interactive Self, mostly based on Sartre's latter existential-phenomenology approach. To do so, I had a prolonged and intensive immersion in the biohacking context, specifically grinding (cyborgs), that began in 2017 with a combination of netnography, ethnography, phenomenological interviews, and autoethnography. To analyze the large collected dataset, I followed the French Semiotics postulates, especially taking into account the existentialphenomenological turn in the Parisian School of Semiotics. As a result of this inquiry, my theoretical claim is that the Interactive Self is sustained by the process of the externalization of the internal and the internalization of the external in dialectical and perpetual dynamics. To sustain this argument and answer my research questions, I present this novel concept in two ways: First, I describe the conceptual components for the ontological condition of being a cyborg by means of NFC microchip consumption. Subsequently, I promote an articulation of Sartre's modes of existence within the aspect of volitional cyborgization, which places PUC-Rio -Certificação Digital Nº 1711876/CA humanity one step closer in its ancient and ongoing dream of performing god-like miracles. In considering technology not as a mere tool to an end, as Heidegger would, I argue that it is a living, magical, and vibrant matter that has the power to change our ontological condition as human beings. In doing so, my research contributes to discussions on technology consumption, identity projects, and, tangentially, bioethics in consumer research within the context of Transhumanism.

show abstract

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Unboxing the Gift From Prometheusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Unboxing the Gift From Prometheusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Unboxing the Gift From Prometheusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Chapter: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Defying the Gods and the Odds: On Being a Cyborg

LIMA¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

The Many Moral Matters of Organoid Models: A systematic review of reasons

Barnhart

Dierickx

2022

Med Health Care and Philos

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A Tale of Two Chimeras: Applying the Six Principles to Human Brain Organoid Xenotransplantation

Barnhart

Dierickx

2023

Camb Q Healthc Ethics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cerebral organoid models in-of-themselves are considered as an alternative to research animal models. But their developmental and biological limitations currently inhibit the probability that organoids can fully replace animal models. Furthermore, these organoid limitations have, somewhat ironically, brought researchers back to the animal model via xenotransplantation, thus creating hybrids and chimeras. In addition to attempting to study and overcome cerebral organoid limitations, transplanting cerebral organoids into animal models brings an opportunity to observe behavioral changes in the animal itself. Traditional animal ethics frameworks, such as the well-known three Rs (reduce, refine, and replace), have previously addressed chimeras and xenotransplantation of tissue. But these frameworks have yet to completely assess the neural-chimeric possibilities. And while the three Rs framework was a historical landmark in animal ethics, there are identifiable gaps in the framework that require attention. The authors propose to utilize an expanded three Rs framework initially developed by David DeGrazia and Tom L. Beauchamp, known as the Six Principles (6Ps). This framework aims to expand upon the three Rs, fill in the gaps, and be a practical means for assessing animal ethical issues like that of neural-chimeras and cerebral organoid xenotransplantation. The scope of this 6Ps application will focus on two separate but recent studies, which were published in 2019 and 2020. First, they consider a study wherein cerebral organoids were grown from donors with Down syndrome and from neurotypical donors. After these organoids were grown and studied, they were then surgically implanted into mouse models to observe the physiological effects and any behavioral change in the chimera. Second, they consider a separate study wherein neurotypical human embryonic stem cell-derived cerebral organoids were grown and transplanted into mouse and macaque models. The aim was to observe if such a transplantation method would contribute to therapies for brain injury or stroke. The authors place both studies under the lens of the 6Ps framework, assess the relevant contexts of each case, and provide relevant normative conclusions. In this way, they demonstrate how the 6Ps could be applied in future cases of neural-chimeras and cerebral organoid xenotransplantation.

show abstract

Lessons from Frankenstein 200 years on: brain organoids, chimaeras and other ‘monsters’

Cited by 13 publications

References 27 publications

Defying the Gods and the Odds: On Being a Cyborg

Defying the Gods and the Odds: On Being a Cyborg

The Many Moral Matters of Organoid Models: A systematic review of reasons

A Tale of Two Chimeras: Applying the Six Principles to Human Brain Organoid Xenotransplantation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About