A debate on Artificial reproductive technologies
Hosted by Next Nature Network
This year Louise Brown, the first ‘test-tube baby’, will turn 40. By now In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) has become accepted practice around the world, resulting in thousands of new-borns annually. Developments in the reproductive sciences continue, and it has become possible to think of reprogramming human skin-cells into gametes or bringing lamb foetuses to term in ‘biobags’, or artificial wombs. Next Nature Network investigates the impact of these emerging Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) on the future of making babies, relationships and intimacy.
Format
In this workshop we will bring together researchers, designers, policy makers and entrepreneurs to engage in mapping current and emerging reproductive technologies as well as the possible, plausible, probable and preferable futures they might bring. The approach is twofold:
- Philosophical: How will ARTs change our ideas about intimacy, gender equality, relationships and ultimately our human nature?
- Practical: How should we envisage the artificial womb as a ‘humane technology’?
Takeaway
We hope to get out of this session a few pointers towards a ‘humane design’ approach to reproductive technologies; design that feels natural and revives human intuitions, takes human values as a cornerstone, empowers people and generally aims to improve the human condition.