Moral And Ethical Issues In Frankenstein Essay - 1492 Words

The guiding question of all science fiction can be summed up by this sentence: â€Å"‘If this goes on, where will it lead?’†(Sawyer) By asking this basic, yet perplexing question, writers extrapolate on a known scientific principle to its most extreme case, and thereby create a catalyst for the events of the stories they write. Inside this story, the innate natures and behaviors of human beings are revealed through the characters’ reaction to the new threat that an advance in technology or scientific knowledge presents. The moral and ethical dilemmas created in these hypothetical futures allows the reader to better understand and examine the enigmatic state of the human condition. An example of this type of literature is the novel Frankenstein.†¦show more content†¦A company willingly uses time travel as a business venture, wholly knowing that the most minute change in the past could irreparably alter the present, and goes back to the cretaceous pe riod to hunt a tyrannosaurus rex. While there, a traveler accidentally takes a misstep and crushes a butterfly. When the travelers return to the future, the language being used in the country has changed and the outcome of an election has been altered by the traveller’s misstep. Science Fiction has the capability to serve as a cautionary tale about future technological advancements by exploring the ethical responsibilities of scientific advancement, and demonstrating the negative capacity of the pursuit of knowledge, revealing human societies’ arrogance towards the limits of their capabilities. With greater knowledge about the properties and functions of the world, the ethical responsibilities of scientists in their application of this knowledge are paramount to preserving the well-being of human civilization as well as the sanity of their scientists. When disregarded, the repercussions can be numerous and grim. Victor’s monster’s destructive and murderous actions are an example of the consequences of unethical scientific advancement. Victor uses his knowledge of animation to hastily create a being who craved sympathy and love, similar to a human being, but formed him as to create abhorrence in any who looked upon him. This deprived the monster of aShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1527 Words   |  7 Pageshowever, for in contrast to the power of beauty which works to contain and maintain social distinctions, the sublime in Frankenstein opens the way for the excluded to challenge the dominant discourse and this appears to be one of man y things the creature substantially appears to represent.1 There is a critique of beauty in Frankenstein on anaesthetic grounds as well as what is ethical. The theoretical foundation for which can be found in Mary Shelley s mother, Mary Wollstonecraft s book on the VindicationRead MoreMorality In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein958 Words   |  4 Pagesmost commented issues about Frankenstein. This novel has been used as an approach to reflect on the ethics involved in most controversial scientific domains, such as genetic engineering or DNA research. This essay will analyse the controversy of moral standards in Mary Shelley’s novel, focusing on the moment in which Frankenstein contemplates the idea of the creation of a whole new species. I will confront the protagonist’s apparent lack of morality and analyse whether said morals do not appear atRead MoreValues Of The Literary Canon1762 Words   |  8 Pagestext that gives a deeper meaning than just words on a page, it gives different views and perspectives on issues, it can give u s insight into history and challenges us with moral or ethical dilemmas. It teaches us repercussions of love and secrecy like in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the dangers of messing with nature and pursuit of human knowledge as in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, and gives us an insight into the use of Revenge such as in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. These textsRead MorePolitics and The English Language: George Orwell ´s Literature3705 Words   |  15 Pagessociety and to reinstate the integrity of the writer. Orwell’s essays have sparked a plethora of adverse and auxiliary opinions regarding the imperishability of his work, from those whom believe that his efforts are archaic, to those who believe that his craftsmanship of language addresses issues which had once been hidden. No matter what side of the social spectrum one categorises themselves in, it is undeniable that Orwell’s essays resonate a certain quality of genuine concern for society whichRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1863 Words   |  8 Pagesboth mankind and his creation [p. 20 – Frankenstein, Modern Interpretation]. An innovator works on their creation haphazardly in order to discover an identifiable outcome. To look for this outcome, there are no efforts in debating with an ethical approach. As Shelley presents Victor as a conventional romantic who conveys powerful emotion when he is mostly alone, Russian author Turgenev also presents a similar character reminiscent to Shelley’s Frankenstein. [Add Transition] Bestolarides 7 Bazarov’sRead MoreMetamorphoses Within Frankenstein14861 Words   |  60 PagesThe Critical Metamorphoses of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein You must excuse a trif ling d eviation, From Mrs. Shelley’s marvellous narration — from th e musical Frankenstein; or, The Vamp ire’s Victim (1849) Like Coleridge’ s Ancient Mariner , who erupts into Mary Sh elley’s text as o ccasionally and inev itably as th e Monster into Victor Frankenstein’s lif e, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometh eus passes, like night, from land to land and w ith stang ely ad aptable powers of speech Read MoreFrankenstein Study Guide14107 Words   |  57 PagesTHE GLENCOE LITERATURE LIBRARY Study Guide for Frankenstein by Mary Shelley i To the Teachern The Glencoe Literature Library presents full-length novels and plays bound together with shorter selections of various genres that relate by theme or topic to the main reading. Each work in the Library has a two-part Study Guide that contains a variety of resources for both you and your students. Use the Guide to plan your instruction of the work and enrich your classroom presentations. InRead MoreEthical And Philosophical Nature Of Human Rights2452 Words   |  10 Pagessecondly Origins and Politics of human rights. However, recent progression in genetics and genetic engineering have made it possible to change the very nature of the mankind, thus uprising many questions of ethical and philosophical nature. Personally speaking, in choosing the topic for the essay I were mainly interested in the human rights and its nature, how far it could go beyond its origins and control, therefore, addressing age-old questions and concerns. Does the person have the right to changeRead MoreHow To Write Literary Analysis4174 Words   |  17 PagesHow To Write Literary Analysis The Literary Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide When you read for pleasure, your only goal is enjoyment. You might find yourself reading to get caught up in an exciting story, to learn about an interesting time or place, or just to pass time. Maybe you’re looking for inspiration, guidance, or a reflection of your own life. There are as many different, valid ways of reading a book as there are books in the world. When you read a work of literature in an English classRead MoreEssay on Our Posthuman Future: The Philosophical Implications2960 Words   |  12 PagesIntroduction This essay is about the philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and it will delve deep into the question of the many philosophical implications of AI. In this paper, I will argue that a machine being able to think and the possibility of an emerging post human future due to the hypothetical invention of AI has philosophical implications for the future of humanity. The intersection of strong and weak AI with human consciousness is also explored through the examples of IBM’s AI systems