title: Analogical reasoning in handling emerging technologies: the case of umbilical cord blood biobanking.
abstract: How are we individually and as a society to handle new and emerging technologies? This challenging question underlies much of the bioethical debates of modern times. To address this question we need suitable conceptions of the new technology and ways of identifying its proper management and regulation. To establish conceptions and to find ways to handle emerging technologies we tend to use analogies extensively. The aim of this article is to investigate the role that analogies play or may play in the processes of understanding and managing new technology. More precisely we aim to unveil the role of analogies as analytical devices in exploring the "being" of the new technology as well the normative function of analogies in conceptualizing the characteristics and applications of new technology. Umbilical cord blood biobanking will be used as a case to investigate these roles and functions.
authors.affiliation: Section for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: Jan Helge
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Solbakk
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holm
mesh_terms: D026688:Bioethical Issues; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000941:ethics; D001771:Blood Banks; D003071:Cognition; D032821:Commodification; D003210:Concept Formation; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D010067:Ownership; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012306:Risk; D012935:Social Justice; D009626:Terminology as Topic
chemical_list: D017744:Medical Waste Disposal