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Embark on a transformative journey in this enlightening series on death and its mysteries. Discover unique perspectives and gain insight into the timeless question of human experience: What is death?
The University of Toledo and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library present this thought-provoking and enlightening lecture series that explores the multifaceted aspects of death, and its significance in human existence and fosters a deeper understanding of death’s impact on individuals, families, and society.
Distinguished scholars from diverse fields will share knowledge, expertise, and perspectives on death. Through a wide range of captivating lectures, attendees will have the opportunity to discuss and reflect on death, dying, and themselves.
Defying Death in Science Fiction and Biomedicine
Can we live forever through continuous medical upgrades of our bodies? Can we upload our consciousness onto a computer and live in a virtual world? Can we transfer our consciousness from one body to another and start a new life? Dr. Muntersbjorn and Dr. Atanasova will lead a discussion on the science and the fiction behind the quest for immortality.
Presented by:
Madeline Muntersbjorn, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at The University of Toledo. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh's History and Philosophy of Science Department. In her research, Muntersbjorn studies demonstrations from the history of mathematics and monsters from popular culture in an effort to articulate what they teach us about the real world of lived experience. The focus of her work in popular culture studies is on relations between kinds of persons in science fiction television.
Nina Atanasova holds Ph.D. degrees in philosophy from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the University of Cincinnati. She is currently a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy and Comparative Religion at Cleveland State University. Dr. Atanasova has been the Secretary General of the International Association for Science and Cultural Diversity since 2017. Her area of expertise is in the philosophy of science and technology with a focus on neuroscience and medicine. In collaboration with Dr. Rayan Magsi, a neurologist from The University of Toledo, she is working on a project tackling the ethics of brain death. She is also a part of an interdisciplinary team led by Dr. Dustin Tyler, Director of the Human Fusions Institute at Case Western Reserve University, which develops various human-machine interfaces.
