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The Body and the Pursuit of Health (Postmodern View (Subjectivity over…
The Body and the Pursuit of Health
Postmodern View
Subjectivity over objectivity
Power from established bases toward new social movements
Societies shift
from
production of goods and services
to
consumption
Exercise in deconstruction
Recognition on science and technology
Body = malleable & unfinished
Medicalization
Transformation of bodies and lives
Form of social control
Army of diverse experts required
Commodification of Health
Patients have become consumers
Purchase of goods and services that are promoted for their health-enhancing effects
Proliferation of Medical Technology
When people begin to make use of new technologies for their own purposes, rather than the uses for which the technology was intended
Ex: Contraceptive pill used for menstrual suppression
"Transhumanism:" Science enhances human characteristics
"Bioconservatism:" Science may fundamentally erode what it means to be human
The Pursuit of Health in Contemporary Society
Plastic Bodies
Reconstructive surgery (Restores function)
Cosmetic surgery (Aesthetic enhancement)
Pressure, especially for women, to conform to cultural ideals of beauty
Interchangeable Bodies
Transformation of the human body that takes place below the surface of the skin and its interior
Reproductive Technology
Late 1970s:
Debate over use of reproductive technology
1978:
Birth of world's first "test-tube baby"
Enhancing Human Traits
Reshaping Personality
Undesired emotions can be eliminated through a pill
Cognitive Enhancement
Smart drugs, near-enhancers, nootropics
Ethical Implications of Enhancement Technologies
Safety:
Long-term effects not yet known
Societal pressure:
Fear of being "left-behind"
Fairness & Equality:
Access based on affordability
Enhancement vs. Therapy:
Which are for medical purposes?
Authenticity & Personal identity:
What is the "real me" after usage of such enhancements?
Happiness & Human flourishing:
Can these enhancements alter what it means to be human?
Implications
Postmodernism: Health is no longer the absence of disease, but rather signifies a subjective awareness of oneself
Body = Ongoing project (Assumes that body has no biological limits and that there are no harmful consequences of its manipulation
Sociology of the body:
Recognizes the materiality of the body (Bodies do suffer and feel pain)
Concluding Question:
Are we heading towards a postman world? What are the health implications?