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Using the Race Model Inequality to Quantify Behavioral Multisensory Integration Effects
Published on: May 10, 2019
Race, science and a novel: an interdisciplinary dialogue
Lawrence Burns1, Monique Lanoix, Ryan M Melnychuk
1Department of Bioethics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. lawrence.burns@dal.ca
This study uses Kunal Basu's novel "Racists" to explore the ethical implications of scientific racism and biological determinism. It highlights how fiction can illuminate complex issues of race, care, and scientific ethics for educators.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Philosophy of Science
- Literary Analysis
Background:
- The novel "Racists" by Kunal Basu (2006) depicts a fictional experiment to determine racial superiority.
- The experiment involves sequestering infants of different races in a "natural laboratory" setting.
- Historical context includes the politics of empire, the slave trade, and the rise of Darwinism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the moral dimensions of science and healthcare through literary fiction.
- To examine issues of race, care, and the concept of scientific purity.
- To demonstrate the pedagogical value of using fiction in ethics education.
Main Methods:
- Cross-disciplinary discussion involving nursing, philosophy, and science.
- Critical analysis of the novel "Racists" to explore its ethical themes.
- Examination of the intersection between biological perspectives on race and societal consequences.
Main Results:
- Novels can provide critical distance for examining complex scientific and ethical issues.
- The novel effectively illustrates the dangers of biological determinism and the concept of inherent racial worth.
- Fiction serves as a powerful tool for engaging with the ethical dimensions of science and healthcare.
Conclusions:
- Fiction offers a unique and valuable pedagogical approach for ethics education.
- Understanding the historical and scientific underpinnings of racism is crucial.
- The novel "Racists" prompts critical reflection on the ethical responsibilities within science and healthcare.
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