Something new under the skin

Abstract

Although the mainstream discourse always posits biotechnology consequences in an imminent future, the field is already a fundamental means of the techno-economic apparatus, affecting countless aspects of our contemporaneity. This thesis seeks to provide an alternative perspective on how biotechnology evaluates, manipulates and exploits the living, shedding light on aspects often overlooked and contributing to the ongoing ethical debate. This research specifically explores the xenotransplant practice which raises doubts both from anti-speciesist movements as well as from the proponents of anthropocentric ontology. By responding to the call to explore new perspectives and “stay with the trouble,” this text delves into a kinship that extends beyond mere metaphor, demonstrating that certain organs can be regarded as living-selves. Focusing on the example of the cardiac organ it will examine how acknowledging a new and unexpected living entity challenges the idea of species, of identity and overall the mechanistic view on reality in techno-scientific framework.