The television series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, âWestworldâ, is based on a past work of the same name from decades past; but the 2016 HBO ...
Bioethics & The Maze The proposed model and methodology for an improved human experience - inspired and anchored in the Sci-Fi television series, “Westworld” Abstract (work in progress)
Abstract The television series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, “Westworld”, is based on a past work of the same name from decades past; but the 2016 HBO in-progress series is an artistic manifestation of contemporary, unprecedented and multifaceted dilemmas that vary in complexity – though impact one particular faction of the overall human experience in such a way that must be addressed: biomedical ethics. On the superficial level, the show is entertaining with artistic flare, talent, and so on - exhibited by each individual responsible for making the series possible. It almost goes without saying that there is more beneath that surface, and this analysis will serve to anchor key bioethics concepts and current practices in the examples from the science-fiction TV series. Moreover, quotes and the accompanying circumstances will serve as the basis of a related discussion. It is the objective of this work to do more than simply describing a scene; or cite a quote to inspire an audience. Utilizing this Hermeneutic Phenomenological approach involved different specific techniques which include: watching “Westworld” several times, taking notes, researching the creators and staff, reading character quotes and related texts as well as the social response via online videos and comments or text response. It is important to understand the popular culture aspect of what was analyzed here because as it was the catalyst to come to an ethical model for practicing medicine which would, in turn, impact human beings at large. There are 3 sections of this work. The first involves discussing or identifying what it is makes a human vs a host (characters from the show), and addressing questions of consciousness, sentience, personhood vs artificial intelligence, and so on. Considering these more complicated definitions will allow for the applications in medicine to be the most ethically sound and thorough approach. The second section is where the bioethics concerns, dilemmas, and themes that were observed are delineated and analyzed. The third section is where a model is introduced and proposed by demonstrating the application to aforementioned questions or areas of concern. The science-fiction theme that this series falls under is important because it demonstrates what human beings have created and, therefore, necessitates the attention and time spent understanding what is already a concern. Moreover, the brilliance and artistry brought forth by those behind the show would be a wonderful addition to what has been referred to for many years as “the art of medicine”. All in all, using visual entertainment as a bridge to connect the patients and healthcare components, albeit unorthodox, creates a new level of understanding that contributes to improving the human experience which, under any mindset or approach, can be universally applied and accepted. It is the goal that the creation of avenues to understand does not end with text on a page, and instead creates a series of effects to scale.
