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Ethical Issues In Frankenstein Research Paper

644 Words3 Pages

The Ethics of Creating a Superhuman Society There is no definite line for moral responsibility. Everyone has their own ideals and ways of viewing the world. The role of scientists, however, also plays a role in moral decisions. In some cases, scientific experiments and newfound knowledge can play a role larger than individual impacts. Throughout Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, the idea of scientific responsibility is shown in a way that can relate to current situations in the world in terms of the quantification of scientific discoveries toward moral decisions. In the novel, Frankenstein created the monster, knowing the negative effect it could have on society. Despite this knowledge, he continued with his experiment, rather than fully …show more content…

However, there are many cases in which moral standards are ignored, especially in terms of scientific evolution. The ethics of editing human embryos has been continuously argued, with no conclusive answer. Many scientists believe that the new, “better,” humans will be worth the harm that is caused along the way. These ideas have been contradicted plenty of times, throughout mountains of studies. In order for these experiments to take place, regard for human life must be put to the side. Not only are women being exploited through reproductive processes, but the future lives of their children are also being put at risk. Scientists have no way of knowing the potential consequences that may come in the future. “...we are manufacturing new human beings for manipulation and quality control, and experimenting on them with the aim of forging greater eugenic control over human reproduction… Eugenics involves not only scientific experimentation but social experimentation and we have seen the results of such experiments. They do not end well,”(Jones). David Albert Jones, director of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre in Oxford, England, addressed the many negative repercussions that result from this in the Human Life Review, a study critiquing certain scientific practices. Much like Frankenstein, many scientists ignore warnings, confident in their abilities with no regard for the potential of

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