Disembodied Brains: Understanding the Public’s Fear and Fascination with Human-Animal Neuro-Chimeras and Brain Organoids

By John H. Evans

Recent advancements in technology have brought the realm of science fiction to reality, sparking both fascination and fear in the public. The development of human-animal neuro-chimeras, which are animals with some component of a human brain, and human brain organoids, small parts of a human brain grown from harvested human cells, raises questions about the biological essence of personhood, the ethics of growing and mixing human-animal parts, and the fears of dystopian misuse that might arise from the development of such technologies.

The general public belief in a foundational distinction between humans and animals is violated by the development of human-animal neuro-chimeras, resulting in opposition to the technology itself, regardless of the intentions behind its development. Similarly, the development of human brain organoids violates the belief that disembodied human parts, such as harvested cells, are not truly separated from the original donor, leading to concern and resistance to such technology being used at all.

Disembodied Brains closely examines the public’s response to these new scientific advances, including general attitudes toward biotechnology overall that contribute to public views of neuro-chimeras and organoids. The book concludes with a discussion of the best ways to set reasonable limits on these technologies, so that they might be used for the advancement of medical science without empowering the dystopian abuse that people rightly fear.

Product Details:

Language: English

Pages: 240

ISBN-10: 0197750702

ISBN-13: 978-0197750704

Published by Oxford University Press on January 22, 2024