| Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley in 1818, is as | | | | He was only focused on the task he had set himself. |
| compelling and thought-provoking in 2010 as when | | | | He gave no thought to what such a creature would |
| the novel appeared almost 200 years ago. Shelley | | | | think or how it would act. He certainly never |
| subtitled her opus The Modern Prometheus. Dr. Victor | | | | considered potential consequences to others that |
| Frankenstein, although certainly no god, was a brilliant | | | | would flow from the existence of such a creation. |
| scientist who paid bitterly for the fruits of his genius. | | | | Opponents of reproductive cloning often draw |
| His loved ones were tragically murdered by his | | | | unflattering parallels to the story of Frankenstein and |
| inhuman creation and he was doomed to suffer | | | | his monster. There are some things scientists should |
| relentlessly for his deeds, as was Prometheus. The | | | | never consider and some actions scientists should |
| Titan Prometheus believed he was helping mankind | | | | never take, they say. It is suggested that creating |
| by giving them the gift of fire. Frankenstein believed | | | | life - which is exactly what reproductive cloning would |
| he was furthering the cause of science by creating a | | | | be, if successful - is the ultimate act of hubris. |
| living being from dead flesh. Prometheus and | | | | Frankenstein provides fictional evidence of this. Dr. |
| Frankenstein shared the classical tragic flaw of hubris. | | | | Frankenstein took it upon himself to create life, and |
| Hubris is the arrogance that leads one to | | | | his family and friends were the ones to pay the |
| overestimate one's abilities and importance and take | | | | terrible cost of his actions in the loss of their own |
| actions that likely result in great harms. In Greek | | | | lives. |
| literature a person's hubris usually helped cause his | | | | Those opposed to RC suggest that creating life |
| destruction. | | | | should not be undertaken by scientists. But this is not |
| Dr. Frankenstein successfully created new life. The | | | | a consistent position. Many of these persons do not |
| monster was a genius, but his physical qualities were | | | | also oppose in vitro fertilization or other assisted |
| abhorrent to others and he was shunned. The being | | | | reproductive technologies. All fertilizations which occur |
| recognized his unfortunate uniqueness and was | | | | in laboratories - using instruments, petri dishes, and |
| greatly pained by his enforced solitude. He wreaked | | | | refrigerators - are examples of scientists creating life. |
| terrible vengeance upon Frankenstein for the | | | | It is not at all clear why one form of creation is |
| perceived crime of bringing the creature into the | | | | acceptable and even sought after in certain |
| world. | | | | circumstances and another is deemed reprehensible |
| One possible conclusion from Shelley's cautionary tale | | | | and a crime against nature. |
| is that science should never proceed unchecked. | | | | Creating life may not be the major issue in |
| Science needs always to be constrained by moral | | | | reproductive cloning. But as individual members of |
| principles and its activities need to be referenced | | | | society, we all need to guard against hubris and its |
| against potential harms. Frankenstein's hubris blinded | | | | consequences. |
| him to the likely untoward outcomes of his research. | | | | |