How are we individually and as a society to handle new and emerging
technologies? This challenging question underlies much of the
bioethical debates of modern times. To address this question we need
suitable conceptions of the new technology and ways of identifying its
proper management and regulation. To establish conceptions and to find
ways to handle emerging technologies we tend to use analogies
extensively. The aim of this article is to investigate the role that
analogies play or may play in the processes of understanding and
managing new technology. More precisely we aim to unveil the role of
analogies as analytical devices in exploring the ï¿½beingï¿½ of the new
technology as well the normative function of analogies in
conceptualizing the characteristics and applications of new technology.
Umbilical cord blood biobanking will be used as a case to investigate
these roles and functions.