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2021 | 12 | 39-53

Article title

Medical imaginaries and the future horizons of consciousness physiology in the work of Stanisław Lem

Content

Title variants

Languages of publication

Abstracts

EN
This article analyses some of the most significant aspects of the exploratory adventure around the physiology of consciousness which the Polish writer Stanisław Lem provides in his science-fiction novels and essays. It is argued that the onto-epistemological and ethical problems associated with the complex mind-brain relationship, the sophisticated medical intervention devices that involve neuronal communication, and the challenges that humankind faces in view of the physical and intellectual evolutionary advance largely determine Lem’s perspective, which is shown to lie between fantastic inventiveness and plausible foresight.

Year

Issue

12

Pages

39-53

Physical description

Dates

published
2021

Contributors

  • European Society for History of Science (ESHS)

References

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  • Bostrom N. (2003), Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?, “Philosophical Quarterly”, 53, 211: 243-255.
  • Brodmann K. (1909), Vergleichende Lokalisationslehre der Grosshirnrinde in ihren Prinzipien dargestellt auf Grund des Zellenbaues, Johann Ambrosius Barth Verlag, Leipzig.
  • Cain, J. A. et. al. (2021), Ultrasonic thalamic stimulation in chronic disorders of consciousness, “Brain Stimulation”, 14, 2: 301-303.
  • Carbonell E., Ballester J.A. (2020), Materia viviente, vida pensante. Evolución y prospectiva de la conciencia humana, Lectio Ediciones, Barcelona.
  • Du Bois-Reymond E. (1872), Über die Grenzen des Naturerkennens: ein Vortrag in der zweiten öffentlichen Sitzung der 45. Versammlung Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte zu Leipzig am 14. August 1872, Verlag von Veit & Co, Leipzig.
  • Dunér D. (2018), Semiotics of Biosignatures, “Southern Semiotic Review”, 9: 7-63.
  • Finkelstein G. (2013), Emil du Bois-Reymond. Neuroscience, Self, and Society in Nineteenth Century Germany, MIT Press, Cambridge-London.
  • Gazzaniga M.S. (2015), Tales from Both Sides of the Brain: A Life in Neuroscience, Ecco, New York.
  • Heath R.G., Elder S.T., Bishop M- P. (1963), Intracranial self-stimulation in man, “Science”, 26, 140(3565): 394-396.
  • Janiuk, J. (2006). Stanisława Lema związki z medycyną, “Medycyna Nowożytna”, 13/1-2: 35-78.
  • Lem S. (1976), The Futurological Congress (from the memoirs of Ijon Tichy), Avon books, New York.
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  • Lem S. (1999), A Perfect Vacuum, Northwestern University Press, Illinois.
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  • Lem S. (2020), Return from the stars, MIT Press, Cambridge-London.
  • Lem S., Fiałkowski T. (2018), Świat na krawędzi. Ze Stanisławem Lemem rozmawia Tomasz Fiałkowski, Wydawnictwo Literackie, Kraków.
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  • Owczarek K. (2018), Rozważania o filozofii umysłu na podstawie Dialogów Stanisława Lema, “Filozofia i nauka. Studia filozoficzne i interdyscyplinarne”, 6: 181-195.
  • Pecere P. (2020), Reconsidering the ignorabimus: Du Bois-Reymond and the hard problem of consciousness, “Science in Context”, 33(1): 1-18.
  • Rodríguez Delgado J.M. (1969), Physical Control of the Mind: Toward a Psychocivilized Society, Harper and Row, New York.
  • Weissert T.P. (1992), Stanislaw Lem and a Topology of Mind, “Science Fiction Studies”, 19(2): 161-166.

Document Type

Publication order reference

Identifiers

Biblioteka Nauki
28407909

YADDA identifier

bwmeta1.element.ojs-issn-2384-9266-year-2021-issue-12-article-0feca94a-6f59-365c-a5a0-1c3aff389c4d
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