Hey All
As I sit here on a balmy Friday afternoon, trying to avoid doing some needed uni work, I figured that I would share some articles that I stumbled upon today.
Beyond the Human Race - And Human-Racism talks about the idea of human racists, those people who feel that there are clear boundaries which define humanness which shouldn't be transgressed.
No time like the present to discuss cyborg rights talks about the need to talk about the rights of athletes with mechanical implants to compete in events, such as South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee who uses prosthetic legs made of carbon fiber and titanium to compete in track events.
Hope you find these articles as interesting as I do,
Luke
thanks luke - they're great links
ReplyDeletealison
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHey Luke,
ReplyDeletethought provoking articles- thank you kindly :)
I particularly liked, "No time like the present to discuss cyborg rights."
I find the resistance from the IAFF problematic and discriminatory. They claim that Pistorius should not be allowed to compete in the Olympic or Commonwealth games on the basis that his legs were "mechanically superior" to those of his "able-bodied competitors" which give him an "unfair advantage."
I mean, no "able-bodied" athelete is built in the same way. Adopting the the IAFF's train of thought, you could argue that Cathy Freeman shouldn't have partcipated in the Olympic Games because she had a fitter heart and leaner calves or whatever, then her fellow competitors.
I find the term 'able-bodied' problematic also. I mean, this person holds the Paralympic records in the 100, 200, and 400 meter events- that is some serious body ability if you ask me. i certainly don't think I will achieve that in this lifetime.
What is at stake, in my opinion, is the blurring of the "able/enhanced" body dichotomy. Does this really matter? I mean, if Pistorious is as fit or fitter then the "able bodies" why should he be prevented from competing?
The article then asks the reverse question "should wheelchair races also be opened up to all competitors?" what do you think?