Media and Organs. Configurations of the Posthuman Body

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This project aims at developing a historically informed theory of media and/as organs. The purpose of this theory is to better understand the social principles and processes characteristic of posthuman bodies. Key words in this respect are cyborgs, prosthesis, organ transplants, implants, etc. Combining innovative methods from the fields of media studies and the history of science, this project investigates the development of the "heart-lung machine" in medicine as a concrete example for the exteriorization of organ functions in 20th century medicine. At the same time, it studies the long history of concepts such as body extension and organ projection, retracing their modern origins to the early modern period, in particular experimental philosophy. By closely relating theoretical and historical aspects, this project produces new insights into the media contexts and social textures implied in extending the human body.