Defending Deaf Culture: The Case of Cochlear Implants*

摘要: COCHLEAR implants” are a technology which attempts to “cure” deafness by bypassing the outer ear through electrical stimulation of auditory nerve. In last two decades, these implants have been offered as treatment options not only for adults who lost their hearing result accident or disease in later life, but also children were deafened infants born deaf. An increasing number operations being undertaken on young years old install order allow them begin and learning spoken language. While existing is at best partially successful allowing deaf hear, if continues improve then one day we may live world no-one needs be It comes great surprise most people community learn that sizeable section has reacted with hostility dismay development this technology. Throughout 1980s early 1990s, Deaf mobilized protest use cochlear implants. particular, they objected choice made behalf insert implant. These critics reject very idea trying find deafness. Indeed compared it genocide. They argue should thought disabled members minority cultural group. The search cure represents desire Journal Political Philosophy: Volume 13, Number 2, 2005, pp. 135–152