A tall, inhuman being created by men who had the foolish ambition to alter what it means to be human all possible through genetic engineering if the science goes that far. If the first part of that sentence seems familiar, it is because it strikes many of the same chords of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein when Frankenstein created the monster in his lab. Technology, no matter if it can be used for good, can become monstrous if the technology goes down morally questionable roads. Genetic engineering can alter the genes of humans to cure them of diseases, create organ donors, and give humans longevity. However, genetic engineering can be seen as tampering with nature and God, and it could lead to genetic defects and other health risks that come
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This part of the definition can still be applied today to the practice of genetic engineering when it is used on humans. Shelley’s attitude towards human creations and technology interfering with God’s design is shown in Frankenstein. She compares man created by God to Frankenstein’s creation who is monstrous in comparison to humans. The monster shows Shelley’s attitude towards this subject lamenting, “God in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance” (Shelley 92). This goes beyond the physical ugliness of the monster, and her reasoning is that the monster is spiritually ugly and an abomination since it was made by man. The theme of nature and God being defied by man is also shown in the constant nature imagery in the book as well as many references of God by both Frankenstein and his monster. Shelley’s feelings towards the subject of usurping God’s authority would likely also hold true with genetic engineering since it demonstrates some of the same problems that are in Frankenstein. While genetic engineering cannot create new life from old, dead body parts, it can alter the genetic makeup of human beings and could create a new species through creating chimeras of human and …show more content…
Genetic engineering can become like this when the risks of the engineering outweigh the positives that come out of it. Shelley’s attitude towards this topic is shown when the monster of Frankenstein laments about not having a father to care for him in his “infancy” to help him learn about society and to integrate into it. The abandonment of the monster by Frankenstein is pivotal to explain the monster’s reactions to the outside world. However, the monster would still be ostracized by the people simply because Frankenstein made him look monstrous. These two facts about the monster impact his mental health incredibly poorly and causes something akin to depression. The mental struggle that the monster goes through shows Shelley’s argument that the subject of a technology gone too far could also be hurt by the technology. Similar problems that occur in Frankenstein could occur in genetic engineering where the person who is tested on could be ostracized from society or even have a defect caused by the testing. Scientists do not know for certain the impacts of creating hybrid life or implanting organs from animals into humans. While implanting organs could save lives, it could also be rejected by the human body which would make the implant useless, or it could cause health problems for the implanted. Rinkesh
This part of the definition can still be applied today to the practice of genetic engineering when it is used on humans. Shelley’s attitude towards human creations and technology interfering with God’s design is shown in Frankenstein. She compares man created by God to Frankenstein’s creation who is monstrous in comparison to humans. The monster shows Shelley’s attitude towards this subject lamenting, “God in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance” (Shelley 92). This goes beyond the physical ugliness of the monster, and her reasoning is that the monster is spiritually ugly and an abomination since it was made by man. The theme of nature and God being defied by man is also shown in the constant nature imagery in the book as well as many references of God by both Frankenstein and his monster. Shelley’s feelings towards the subject of usurping God’s authority would likely also hold true with genetic engineering since it demonstrates some of the same problems that are in Frankenstein. While genetic engineering cannot create new life from old, dead body parts, it can alter the genetic makeup of human beings and could create a new species through creating chimeras of human and …show more content…
Genetic engineering can become like this when the risks of the engineering outweigh the positives that come out of it. Shelley’s attitude towards this topic is shown when the monster of Frankenstein laments about not having a father to care for him in his “infancy” to help him learn about society and to integrate into it. The abandonment of the monster by Frankenstein is pivotal to explain the monster’s reactions to the outside world. However, the monster would still be ostracized by the people simply because Frankenstein made him look monstrous. These two facts about the monster impact his mental health incredibly poorly and causes something akin to depression. The mental struggle that the monster goes through shows Shelley’s argument that the subject of a technology gone too far could also be hurt by the technology. Similar problems that occur in Frankenstein could occur in genetic engineering where the person who is tested on could be ostracized from society or even have a defect caused by the testing. Scientists do not know for certain the impacts of creating hybrid life or implanting organs from animals into humans. While implanting organs could save lives, it could also be rejected by the human body which would make the implant useless, or it could cause health problems for the implanted. Rinkesh