Seventh period Frankensteiners ~ This is the question for the week of March 17th. You have until March 23rd to submit your responses. If you plan to leave for break on the 21st, make sure to visit our blog before you hit the beach or whereva. You need only post once this week.Scholars sometimes use Frankenstein as an argument against scientific technology that creates life forms. Others argue that it is NOT the technology that's the issue, but the use to which it is put that presents an ethical problem. (An ethical problem is a situation involving conflict about the right thing to do.) What do you think Shelley's position is on this? What is yours? This is a chin scratcher. Think about our fishbowl discussion last week.
FY-eye, I will not post a question next Sunday. I, too, will be on spring break.
15 comments:
I think Shelley's position on this ethical issue is that scientifically creating a life form can improve society if the
creator fulfills his or her reponsibility to the creature he had created. Shelley demonstrates that Victor's carelessness caused the monster to be a force for evil rather than a force for good. If Victor had fulfilled his responsibility to the creature by nurturing and caring for his creation, his discovery could have improved society rather than cause havoc and destruction. My position on this ethical issue is that a person should take responsibility for their actions and not run away from their problems. Victor ran away from the creature once he understood the terrible effects his creation could have on society. I feel that scientific technogly that creates life forms can improve society based on the actions of the creators. Moreover, I feel that the resulting outcome depends on how the creator chooses to deal with the responsibility he was given by creating his creation. I feel that scientific technology that creates life forms is only a problem if the creator chooses not to fullfill his obligations to his creation.
I think that Shelley's position on scientific technology is that it should only be used for scientists to use their knowledge in a productive way. Putting one's ideas into making advances in science is something that I believe would make Shelley happy and proud. In addition, I think that Shelley would believe that scientific technology is not the issue, but what people use their knowledge to do and create is when problems occur. For example, Victor said in Frankenstein that people should not try to become too knowledgable or else they may use their minds to create something evil, like the creature, and become too powerful. This shows that Shelley thinks that people are to blame for the problems of creating life forms and not scientific technology. In my oppinion, I also believe that scientific technolgy to create life forms is not the issue but the way in which people use it. I consider using science to create life forms wrong because I think that humans should be made the correct way and not scientifically. I believe that scientific technology is beneficial when scientists use their knowledge for good in order to help others and make improvements. Moreover, I think that scientific technology is bad when scientists use it for evil or just to obtain fame and fortune.
I think that Shelley's position on scientific technology is that it should only be used for scientists to use their knowledge in a productive way. Putting one's ideas into making advances in science is something that I believe would make Shelley happy and proud. In addition, I think that Shelley would believe that scientific technology is not the issue, but what people use their knowledge to do and create is when problems occur. For example, Victor said in Frankenstein that people should not try to become too knowledgable or else they may use their minds to create something evil, like the creature, and become too powerful. This shows that Shelley thinks that people are to blame for the problems of creating life forms and not scientific technology. In my oppinion, I also believe that scientific technolgy to create life forms is not the issue but the way in which people use it. I consider using science to create life forms wrong because I think that humans should be made the correct way and not scientifically. I believe that scientific technology is beneficial when scientists use their knowledge for good in order to help others and make improvements. Moreover, I think that scientific technology is bad when scientists use it for evil or just to obtain fame and fortune.
I think that Shelly's postion on this, has to do with the time in which sh was raised, and who her mother was. She grew up during the enlightenment and the scientific revolution, experiencing and living threw key scientifical discoveries for our present. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a huge part, and influence in the enlightenment. Scientific research, is just that, research, an act to add intellect and broaden the information that one knows. In writing this book, I think, that, Shelley, shows, shes not afraid of the scientific advances, and is instead of being scared and calling it unethical, is embracing it, and writing about it. I think that she has the same opinion about it as i do, that scientific research is there to enlighten the world, and educate people about the new things that come out. Some times bad things can come from it, but with a little time, metaphorically, as the creature grows more he undersands human emotion more, and becomes softer, and advances as a "human." he didn't start out so great but with time, he's growing into something greater, just like how science works.
I think that Sheeley's ethical issue is that by scientifically creating life it can help and make advancements in our world. If victor would have stood by his creature and helped it through its life it would have done good not bad. I think that Shelley is trying to say that its not right to creature soemthing scietifically and leave it there, hopig it will fix itelf. If you created soemthing take care of it, help it, fix it, study it, o wa tyou need to fix your problems. and tak credit for it. I feel the same about Seleys views. You have to takecedit for whta yo do and no just leave it there, thinking it will fix itself.
I think that Shelley's position on this is that cloning and the creation of artificial life forms should take place. If they do it in a controled environment and make it safe she would probably think that its ok.
I think that if there is a reason to clone such as using it to study diseases or something that could help society, it is a good idea. Otherwise there is no point to creating life forms by cloning.
i agree with josh that shelley would have thought that cloning and creation would have been ok, but only if it was in a controlled environment.
i believe this because in her time it was unusual for such a ridiculous idea to be created. i think that for her the idea of creation to her was so different that the realization that it could happen excited her and wanted others to believe that it could happen.
i also think that cloning is a good idea for scientific study, only for that purpose. I think that it is too soon in our community for cloning, it might scare some people but give others the power to believe they can do things unimaginable, and when they can't they will get their hopes up and crushed and will probably end up going insane, just as frankenstein had gotten ill.
I think Shelly really was showing that anyone could be good or evil at any time and I think she wanted to let the people of her time be aware that someday this may happen of sorts. I also think maybe shelly has been feeling the way Victor does about not accepting something that causes so much pain I ones life.
I think if it could possibly happen to clone or bring a person back from the dead would be horrible. I mean it would be cool and all but couldn't it bring pure evil and destroy our world just like the Creature did to Victor
I think Shelley would have been against finding different ways to create life because in most of the book either victor or the creature are complaining about what they have creatinf or the miserable life they are living. Victor was incredibly horrified after he created the creature, which means shelley had this opinion also. When Victor comes upon the creature, teh first thing the creature says is how wretched this created life has been, which also must be an opinion of shelleys.
It seems as if Shelley is neutral on the subject. If not then i think that she at least wants the reader to decide. I think this because the creature as a person is amazing, but his physical apearrance is just dreadful. But also Frankenstein's creation can wreack havoc on the world. The book displays good examples of either opinion. I would say scientifical technology isnt half bad. As long as the intentions are good and the results dont end in a complete disaster we should always try and prosper and grow. If the study is completely unethical and evil i wouldnt agree with going through with the experiment but unless that was the case its fine.
i think shelleys position on this ethical issue is to teach people. she is not saying that it is good or bad, but she wants people to be aware of what good/bad things can happen. she shows that the monster was good and wanted to learn, but he scared people away and and because he was left alone from the beggining, he might not turn out to be good. i also think she is saying that if victor hadnt left the creature alone, then it wouldnt have turned out this way. in other words, if victor was more responsible and showed his obligation to his creature, this whole creation wouldnt have been a problem. however, he didnt stay with him and she is showing that if you do something like this, if you dont watch after it, its going to turn out very badly
I feel that technology is not the issue, but the use to to which it is put that presents an ethical problem. As it was demonstrated in the book, Victor was a very intellectual man about the nature of science, but he abused his power by creating this creature and not knowing the pros and cons of his actions. His knowledge of science and the creation of man took over, but he did not think about the outcome of what would happen if he were to abandoned his creation. I feel Shelly stands for both positions. In the beginning of the novel she shows the readers how knowledge on the life of science could help better science by creating life. As the book progresses, and the creature begins to kill Victor's loved ones, she shows us that it is not the knowledge and technology that's good, but its how you use it as its shown how Victor creates life and ignores/neglects it thus proving that Shelly supports both sides.
i think Shelly's position on this topic is that cloning and the creation of people should be allowed to occur. If these creations were preformed under the right conditions and are garunteed to not cause any harm to them or others around them that there is nothing wrong with it. My position on the cloning is i don't think it is necessary because there is no need to have 2 forms of one person or an object. That is why I feel the creation of Frankenstein in the book was a bad choice and already we end up seeing that this caused the death of william, which as stated earlier is hurting others around him and is bad for the people around him. Victor realized this about his creation and how bad of an idea it was an ran from his own creation. I don't think that scientific technology should be used to create new life forms.
I think Shelly's position is that it's not the technology that's the issue, but the use to which Victor put his creation into created a problem. Like what Jorie said, Mary Shelley's mother was an influence around the time of the scientific revolution and enlightenment, so she would have liked the idea of new technologies. However, Victor didn't have a good use for his creation. Right after he created it, he ran away and hid from it. I think cloning is okay for research and only to help with science, but if someone creates a person just to have a friend, it isn't right. If Victor wanted to have a friend, he shouldn't have abandoned it. He created his creature for all the wrong reasons and look what happened...
I think that Shelley wants to show that humans have a line that they can not cross..
there are certain factors and knowledge that we are not suppose to know of, or touch.
But in my opinion, there must be a good balance of both, trying to always shove things away and saying that we can not cross the line toward some sorts of knowledge will slow us down progress wise. However over crossing the line isq hazard too.
ex:cloning Some stuff is not to be known of, or meddled with.
Post a Comment