Anatomy For Beginners

Discussion in 'Off Topic Area' started by Kunoichi, Jan 28, 2005.

  1. Kunoichi

    Kunoichi Valued Member

    A 4 part tv program on UK tv finished showing last night. Its called "Anatomy For Beginners". The show is about how certain things in the human body work (e.g the digestive system). It had a fresh corpse being disected on every show so the audience can see actual parts of the body. The faces of the corpses were covered up by a mask and the bodies were all donated to medical science. The person doing the disecting was a German pathologist.

    Is this right/wrong? Do you think it is degrading for the human body to be opened up on national tv? Is it sick? Or is it just an educational tv program?



    Laura
     
  2. wrydolphin

    wrydolphin Pirates... yaarrrr Supporter

    Considering the fact that so many people don't know a thing about their own bodies, I have no problem with this. Learning never degrades the human body and if one person walks away with enough knowledge to prevent any one of a number of major diseases, then I have no problem with it.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2005
  3. Maverick

    Maverick New Member

    Yes and no.

    It was educational, but didn't teach me anything I didn't know already, and I only have a GCSE in Biology and some basic anatomical knowledge. But I can appreciate that it would probably fascinate, educate (and disgust to some extent) most people.

    However it was a bit excessive. Channel 4 seem to be going for ratings purely by getting more and more audacious.. There's no need for a public dissection of a human to get across anatomical details. I take my hat off (no pun intended) to them for being brave enough to show such a thing before anyone else, and I firmly believe that people should be less sensitive about the mortality of their own species, and more aware of their internal workings.

    But was it really necessary to show it in such detail? I can't help thinking that the BBC would have handled this in a much better way, this program seems to be labeled 'anatomy for beginners' as an excuse for basically breaking another taboo. Which in itself isn't such a bad idea....but.

    I found the darkly comic, trilby-sporting von Hagens an interesting character but can understand why some would find him innappropriate, haha.
     
  4. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    I liked it.
    Excellent program.
     
  5. Kwajman

    Kwajman Penguin in paradise....

    Absolutely nothing wrong with it. If its done in the name of science and not meant to be sensationalized, then why would anyone complain?
     
  6. reikislapper

    reikislapper see you on the flypaper

    I saw the programme last night and I thought it was brilliant, I even felt sorry for any of you guys who may have been watching the programme lol. It was the first one I'd seen in the group and I wished I'd have seen the rest now but I suppose they will be on again.
    lisa xx
     
  7. Kunoichi

    Kunoichi Valued Member

    Personally I liked it too, but I heard that Channel 4 have been recieving thousands of complaints saying that it is morally wrong and that anyone who can watch that must be disturbed!

    I agree that channel 4 might be looking for a shock response. If anyone wants to see it theres something on at 9pm Sunday called "Anatomy For Beginners - The Best Cuts" or something similar. I think its basically the highlights of the other episodes but I might be mistaken.


    Laura
     
  8. d33pthought

    d33pthought New Member

    They thought it was sick for Leonardo da Vinci to dissect cadavers. Probably some of the same people think it's still sick. Personally, there's no better way to learn about gross anatomy than looking at the innards of an actual corpse. Besides, it's not like John Doe's gonna need that liver once he's checked out of the motel called existence.

    "Anatomy for Beginners: the Best Cuts." Ok, while I don't have a problem with the scientific exploration of dead people, I can't sit idly by while clearly disturbed television networks broadcast a pun that bad.
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2005
  9. Ad McG

    Ad McG Troll-killer Supporter

    I think even asking the question is ridiculous. There is nothing wrong with it whatsoever.
     
  10. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.

    Its educational, so I think its ok, although a bit on the nose as in "LOOK LOOK" or even the MIR scan of a couple having sex (that must have been fun..been in one of those).

    People learn from reading books and looking at documentaries and seeing it in real life situation would be no different. This is how people learn and how they have learnt for years, i mean...how did they know about these things in the first place?
    They cut up dead bodies that were pre-approved before death and took a look.
     

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