Self/less
Philosophy at the Movies - A podcast by Stockdale Center - Shaun Baker, PhD.
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What does this story, premised upon the possibility of transferring a person from body to body, tell us about the moral implications of such technology, should it ever become available? Does the fact that Mark voluntarily sold his body in order to raise funds that save his daughter’s life make it the case that there is no grounds for moral qualms? Does the film miss an opportunity to explore this moral crisis in the characters Mark and his friend Martin, both parents of seriously ill children, who are ‘saved’ via this technology? How does the film reflect upon ongoing debates about incentivizing organ donation? Does the story address the moral costs of using such technology to save influential or powerful people? How might such technology be used or abused by military organizations? Is there a missed opportunity to explore what it would be like to be a hybrid of two persons?