A Lesson from Frankenstein

The Frankenstein myth, like Prometheus before it, is about attempting to transcend human limits, “playing God,” and the use of artifice driven by hubris.  Such a legacy evokes caution as we pursue technology today.  I have echoed this caution throughout this blog.  But I have also acknowledged that such caution does not happen in a vacuum.  Technology can be used for good or for ill.  I think that a nuanced look at the Frankenstein myth illustrates this.

Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit, one could argue, was not inherently bad.  At face value, initially, he created life.  It was a fictional case of begetting, if you will.  Frankenstein’s monster was essentially human.  He was sentient, intelligent, and capable of learning and of kindness.  It was when Frankenstein neglected to treat him as human that things went south.  The monster was also in a formative state, and parental neglect and societal rejection all contributed to the monster’s choices later in the novel.

I think that Frankenstein provides an analogy for our own pursuit of new technology.  In our doing so, we must remember to not forget about the human condition.  Our pursuits should not ignore it nor assume that it can be entirely overcome.  Whether it is genetic engineering, drones, virtual reality, space exploration, artificial intelligence, or energy, an acknowledgement of the human condition should temper and orient our ambitions.  It should help us recognize potentials and limits.  I would argue that things are more likely to go wrong if we ignore it, and less likely if we don’t.

We can create great things that can benefit many people. But we ought to avoid falling into the trap of neglecting the human condition as we do so.  Let’s learn from Frankenstein so that we may create not monsters, but masterpieces.