Victor Frankenstein Acquirement Of Knowledge

“Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (Shelley 51).” Victor Frankenstein, in his obsession with the pursuit of knowledge, devoted his early years to creating life. Upon succeeding, he realized his mistake of intruding on matters superior to his own; Frankenstein then focused on destroying his monstrous wretch to save humanity from its horrors. In his warning to Captain Walton, Frankenstein expressed the dangers that the acquirement of knowledge can bring, and with all of the new technological and medical advancements of the twenty-first …show more content…
Sergio Canavero has revealed how the head transplant would work if all goes according to plan. To extend the time that the cells can survive without oxygen, both the head and the body would be cooled to about ten degrees Celsius before the actual severing of the head would take place (Clark). Reattaching the head to the alternative body is a bit more complicated because it requires the reconnection of the spinal cord, but Canavero insists that he has the necessary equipment to do so (Clark). Following the reattachment of muscles, blood supply, and nerves, the patient would be comatose for several weeks to allow the head and body to heal. The patient would then be administered powerful drugs to prevent rejection of the new body and would attend counseling sessions to control any identity issues that may arise (Dennis). Canavero speculates that patients will still be able to move on their own and speak in their own voices, but most other scientists remain skeptical as to whether or not the transplant is even scientifically possible. Canavero, however, defends his theories by studying already performed animal experiments and cases of severed spinal cord …show more content…
Similar to the fictional Frankenstein who longed to discover the secret of life for all of his childhood, Canavero has dreamed of performing a head transplant since he was young as well. He recalls reading about the attempted head transplant on a monkey in the 1970s, encouraging his goal of becoming the first to perform the same surgery on a human (Lamont). From that moment, he devoted his time to the study of medicine and rose to the top of his class. He reveals in an interview that he has always been a “loner” and “not normal”, whereas Frankenstein only isolated himself during the months when he was conceiving the monster (Lamont). To focus on the work of perfecting the head transplant procedure, Canavero is leaving his family behind to eliminate distractions, just as Frankenstein left his family to pursue his studies and experiment. Most people remain skeptical that the surgery will have a positive outcome and regard Canavero as the very picture of a mad scientist (Lamont). Frankenstein faced rejection and disbelief when he told the magistrate of his creation as well. Sergio Canavero has been deemed the Frankenstein of the twenty-first century by society, and it is easy to see the reason for this when the two are