Could the blind be cured?

[Welsh-Angel]

more than i've ever written i think, not sure, i probably have

[Philosobassist]

lol Just a Philo and Gantidge joke there, sorry.

[Gantidge]

2000 not coursework or anything. And hey old man, I'm only 16; leave me alone!





Meanie

[Philosobassist]

Anyone know about the Church of South Africa yet? I think that's what we were talking about...

Edit: OK, the Church is (/was last time I checked) one of the last religious estblishments to encourage racism; they believe/d every man has a niche in the world and the niche of the black man is to be ruled by the white man. God made them black so they could be easily identified as inferior.

In the same way isn't there a risk of prejudice and discrimination against those with bionic eyes?

[Gantidge]

Obviously, because there are a lot of small-minded idiots out there. As long as there is some form of division in society people will always exploit it. They could discriminate in the same way people make fun of people who where glasses, or people with red hair, or people with braces, or people who are American, or who are one of the youngest in the year, or people who are intellegent.

Or even those lucky enough to have all of these characteristics... 

[Philosobassist]

Yes, but is a bionic eye so great an 'abnormality' that it would encourage too much of this behaviour?

[Gantidge]

But we're not talking a gr*pefruit-sized piece of machinery. We're talking about a roughly eye-sized eye. And the person would probably wear sunglasses or something when out in public, like other blind people.

What about people with false limbs? They may be discriminated against, but they get by. I don't think most people discriminate that much, not towards these sorts of disabilities. I think society has grown out of this sort of stuff, by and large. Racism and sexism are long-standing prejudices. They take longer to get rid of. The only place I can see discrimination being a problem is in hiring people. But then in many things you could not be blamed for thinking that a person with a bionic eye might not be able to do the job as well as a 'normal' person.

[Philosobassist]

But we're not talking a gr*pefruit-sized piece of machinery. We're talking about a roughly eye-sized eye. And the person would probably wear sunglasses or something when out in public, like other blind people.

But they're not blind anymore?

What about people with false limbs? They may be discriminated against, but they get by.

Maybe, but I can't accept that as a philosophy regarding discrimination...and I'm surprised you said it!

[Gantidge]

Yeh that was bad and I'd like to make a formal retraction of that. That was the subconcious evil person in me breaking out. I meant that I think people are more sympathetic of physical disabilities today. Emotional, mental and racial differences are still exploited, but I think that the majority and people wouldn't do anything more to these sorts of people than maybe gove them a slightly longer look in the street than normal.

[Philosobassist]

Yeh that was bad and I'd like to make a formal retraction of that. That was the subconcious evil person in me breaking out. I meant that I think people are more sympathetic of physical disabilities today. Emotional, mental and racial differences are still exploited, but I think that the majority and people wouldn't do anything more to these sorts of people than maybe gove them a slightly longer look in the street than normal.

I understand why you say that, given the sort of area I know you live in, but I have seen things which lead me to disagree. If you can reference where you got this from, or any other supporting material, I may reconsider but as it stands I think physical disability is still or of the most prominent, and worst, forms of discrimination.

[Gantidge]

I don't think either of us can produce material to support either side of the debate as to whether physical disabilities are discriminated against IN SOCIETY, ie. when walking down the street.

[Philosobassist]

I don't think either of us can produce material to support either side of the debate as to whether physical disabilities are discriminated against IN SOCIETY, ie. when walking down the street.

Except empirically, which I have done.

But why only in society. I would wager that there would be discrimination in employment against those with bionic eyes, with the supposed justification that their eyesight needs to be better, yet provided the eye does its job it is likely that this will be 'invalid' discrimination.

[Gantidge]

I purposely treaded around that aras numerous times, by saying each time in society. I understand completely that people with these sorts of disabilities could be discriminated against. Although in fairness to employers there are quite a few jobs that require a decent sense of depth of vision, thus, ruling out anyone with a bionic eye. Or anything which requires good eyesight. Like working in a meat factory. Wahat would happen if the person got their arm caught in the masher, and sued or something. There's too much risk in many cases, even when the person probably would be able to perform just as easily. Wouldn't you be slightly wary of how well they can see, or at least whether they could perform to the same degree of quality as someone naturally-endowed with sight? It is discrimination though and I don't agree with it.

provided the eye does its job it is likely that this will be 'invalid' discrimination.

The problem is no one has a bionic eye that allows them to work to any degree, so anything we discuss on this issue is hypothetical. They may be able to work perfectly well, in which case any discrimination is as wrong as racism. But if they couldn't perform as well, then there isn't a problem for an employer discriminating amongst candidates.

[Philosobassist]

I purposely treaded around that aras numerous times, by saying each time in society. I understand completely that people with these sorts of disabilities could be discriminated against.

Yeh that was bad and I'd like to make a formal retraction of that. That was the subconcious evil person in me breaking out. I meant that I think people are more sympathetic of physical disabilities today. Emotional, mental and racial differences are still exploited, but I think that the majority and people wouldn't do anything more to these sorts of people than maybe gove them a slightly longer look in the street than normal.

Don't see any reference to society there...you just generalise.

The problem is no one has a bionic eye that allows them to work to any degree, so anything we discuss on this issue is hypothetical.

But going by my already established definition of 'cured' a bionic eye in this sense would provide perfect or so-near-as-to-not-be-any-different-from perfect, so surely it would be invalid discrimination?

[Gantidge]

I wasn't talking about society there; there I was generalising.

But we're not talking a gr*pefruit-sized piece of machinery. We're talking about a roughly eye-sized eye. And the person would probably wear sunglasses or something when out in public, like other blind people.

What about people with false limbs? They may be discriminated against, but they get by. I don't think most people discriminate that much, not towards these sorts of disabilities. I think society has grown out of this sort of stuff, by and large. Racism and sexism are long-standing prejudices. They take longer to get rid of. The only place I can see discrimination being a problem is in hiring people. But then in many things you could not be blamed for thinking that a person with a bionic eye might not be able to do the job as well as a 'normal' person.

I don't think either of us can produce material to support either side of the debate as to whether physical disabilities are discriminated against IN SOCIETY, ie. when walking down the street.

But in the others I talked about society.

In my last post, then I focused on the workplace.

But going by my already established definition of 'cured' a bionic eye in this sense would provide perfect or so-near-as-to-not-be-any-different-from perfect, so surely it would be invalid discrimination?

Yes I'm sorry, with that sort of bionic eye any discrimination would be invalid. I didn't see that you had said that.  :