History and Ethics of Medicine and Medical Technologies

Lecture and Seminars (Winter term)

Master “Biomechanical Engineering”:

https://www.ovgu.de/en/Biomechanical_Engineering_master-path-46492,48816,48820.html

The aim of the module is to introduce students to fundamental developments in the history of medicine and medical technology. Against the background of historical processes, students should become aware of the opportunities and challenges of advances in medicine. They  will understand how medical knowledge and technological innovation are entangled with social, political and economic conditions and simultaneously shape them.

In addition, students will be acquainted with the principles of ethical decision-making in medicine and understand how these can be applied to historical and contemporary examples. The focus here is on the human-machine relationship as well as on ideas about the human being as biological-technical hybrid being (cyborg).

Content:

• Major developments in medicine and medical engineering
• Principles of ethical decision-making in medicine and medical engineering
• Human-machine relationship and humans as cyborgs

Based on what will be presented during the lecture we will discuss specific historical and contemporary case studies in the seminar in order to make students aware of possible problems and challenges when joining humans and technology in more intimate ways as it is the case when it comes to biomechanical engineering.