One of my articles is called “Frankenstein as Science Fiction and Fact”. It is a Thesis written by Van D. Laan, a professor at Illinois State University. Mr. Laan’s main argument is that Frankenstein not only paved the way for science fiction writing, but also identified the “ostensibly high-minded and well-intentioned hopes and promises of the scientist/technologist”. The article goes on to describe how Frankenstein depicted an intense and impossible scientific feet that has somehow become possible in our modern world. It is now referred to as biotechnology, biomedicine, and bioengineering. At the time, Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) had imagined the most far-fetched scientific experiment she could in order to write her realistic fiction. However that has now become a very real possibility. It just goes to show you what we disprove today may soon be proven in the nearby future. Laan also brings to light the fact that Victor Frankenstein has come to serve as the “poster child and whipping boy for all scientific and technological irresponsibility”. It almost acts as a worst standard that could buffer any criticism towards our scientists today. After all, none of us could be as bad as Frankenstein, right? Now that really isn’t all too clear. Now with biotechnology, biomedicine, and bioengineering developing at a rapid rate, we may just end up reproducing Frankenstein. If that did happen, what would be the new worst standard? What would be the new thing to push off guilt and blame? “Oh well at least we aren’t as bad as the Nazi’s!” Wait, should you even be anywhere near as bad as that? It’s just something to think about.
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