The Rhetoric and Counter-Rhetoric of a "Bionic" Technology
- 1 January 1997
- journal article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Science, Technology, & Human Values
- Vol. 22 (1), 31-56
- https://doi.org/10.1177/016224399702200102
Abstract
Development of the cochlear implant, discussed in this article, depended vitally on deaf people being persuaded to undergo implantation. Media "reconstruction" of the device as the "bionic ear" was typically encouraged by implant pioneers. Unexpectedly, however, a "counter-rhetoric" based on a very different understanding of deafness emerged. With it, deaf people are slowly succeeding in gaining influence over the further deployment of the technology. The analysis suggests modifications to existing theoretical models of technological change in medicine.Keywords
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