Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" The Cautionary Tale of The Monster Who Killed Morality: The Tale of Frankenstein and the Technology of Today.

Essay by ThisKidHereUniversity, Bachelor'sB, March 2006

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Because science fiction often prophesizes reality, Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" can serve as a warning for all humanity. What appears to be science fiction is essentially science in action. This tale represents and almost foreshadows the romantic disillusionment society has in regards to technology and the conflict between scientific creation and nature. This film skillfully offers a warning - be aware of unintended consequences of scientific advances.

Technology is a fortunate thing. It has made human life longer, easier, more productive and to some degree even more meaningful but "because of its lengthy, intimate and inevitable relationship with culture, technology does not invite a close examination of its own consequences" (Postman, Technopoly, 1). This theory is an underlying truth about scientific advancements. Because our culture is so concerned with becoming faster, more improved and the like, we become technophiles, and see nothing but the positive aspects of what scientific advancements have to offer.

"One-eyed Prophets" fail to look at the consequences of these advancements and this in turn creates an issue of moral irresponsibility. When man changes his view of the universe he also changes his place in it.

From the preliminary stages of history humans have used tools - technology - to accomplish whatever they needed or aspired to do. But technology advanced at a steady rate for many years- advancing with the culture. Now, our technologies supersede humanity. Science writer Joel Garreau in a talk regarding the speed of technological advancement stated that "the amount of change we experienced in the last 20 years will be compressed into eight, and the amount of change over the past 50 years will collapse into the next 14"(Coon, Journey, 237). The use and advancement of technology has shifted from a production and need based foundation to knowledge and want based platform.