![]() We focus mainly on issues concerning health, healthcare, and medical technologies, but will not discuss in detail the definition, theory, or function of consciousness, a major theme of the novel. To the best of our knowledge, no academic paper has been published in Japan or overseas that analyzes Harmony from the bioethical standpoint. Finally, to conclude, we propose appropriate attitudes toward health and healthcare and argue that a perfect healthy utopia should not be a goal. We will then analyze various ethical issues that arise in Harmony’s World. We will also present a brief history of medical progress as well as look closer into current medical technologies and healthcare services closely related to Harmony’s World. In the sections that follow, we will introduce the protagonists of the story, provide an overview of social and healthcare systems including those pertaining to mental health, and summarize the story. In this context, we believe we can gain insight into important lessons about ethical, social, and psychological issues that could arise in a healthy longevity utopia achieved by super-medicine by analyzing Harmony’s World. In addition, health-consciousness among people is becoming universal, and this has led to strong anxiety about health as well as fear of aging and death (Asai et al. With the rapid development of AI, ICT, and other relevant medical technologies in recent years, it is now much easier to imagine that the healthcare system and way of living depicted in Harmony’s World could be realized in the near future. In our view, we are edging closer to the world depicted in Harmony (hereafter, “Harmony’s World”). Present society aims for a future in which healthy longevity is achieved through advanced medicine and science, as well as technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), information communication technology (ICT), and nanotechnology. Project Itoh wrote Harmony while being hospitalized for lung cancer treatment, and passed away at the early age of 34 in March 2009. Smith, 2010, San Francisco, Haikasoru), and the English version was awarded the Philip K Dick Special Award the same year. The novel was translated into English in 2010 (by Alexander O. Harmony won the 40th Seiun (Galaxy) Award and the 30th Japan SF Award in 2009, both of which are awarded to the best SF novels in Japan. Here we pick up the masterpiece SF novel Harmony, written by Japanese writer Project Itoh in 2008, and consider the various ethical issues involving the world depicted in the novel, as well as its ending. We conclude by proposing an alternative governing principle for future healthcare, and refer to it as the “do-everything-in-moderation” principle.Ī great work of science fiction (SF) can present us vivid images of possible futures as well as bring to light serious issues, allowing us to learn valuable lessons by depicting human relations, new cultural tendencies, and novel relationships between human beings, science, and technology. But is it right to aim for a perfectly healthy society at all costs? Should we sacrifice freedom, privacy, vivid feelings, and personal dignity to achieve such a world? In our view, the answer is no, as this would require the loss of many essential values. One can argue that healthy longevity is highly preferred. This is a situation where the community exhibits extremely powerful and effective paternalism. Moreover, there is no room for self-determination concerning healthcare because medical interventions and care are completely routinized, automated, centralized, and instantly provided. Privacy no longer exists, as it is perceived ethical for citizens to openly communicate health-related information to establish one’s credibility. From a bioethical standpoint, the world in Harmony is governed by a “healthy longevity supremacy” principle, with being healthy equated to being good and right. Citizens in Harmony are required to strictly control themselves to achieve perfect health and must always disclose their health information to the public and continuously prove their health. Super-medicine is realized through highly advanced medical technologies. In the world depicted in Harmony, preserving health and life is a top priority. To consider whether or not we should aim to create a perfect healthy utopia on Earth, we focus on the SF novel Harmony (2008), written by Japanese writer Project Ito, and analyze various issues in the world established in the novel from a bioethical standpoint.
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