Na-no-body: The Neglect of the Sensitive Body in Nanomedicine

Abstract

This article presents the ethical reflexion of a recent art project, Na-no-body, presented at the Montreal gallery Espace Proje t in the c ontex t of the exposition Art + Bioéthique. Na-no-body is the result of a collaborative work between the artist Stephanie Coleman and the sociologist Mathieu Noury. The aim of this project was to open an ethical dialogue on nanomedicine and its relationship with the body. To do so, the article examines specifically the notion of “personalized medicine” promoted by nanomedicine. This article proposes that, far from developing an approach reintegrating the person and the personal experience of illness at the heart of the care relationship, nanomedicine brings a simple molecular and technical response to caring. It is argued that two major themes constitute the core of this notion: 1) a molecular conception of personalization, a n d 2 ) a technical conception of personalization.