SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MONSTERS WE HAVE CREATED

 


The Nineteenth Century was a time of great change. The advances in science and technology made possible the Industrial Revolution, a revolution which fundamentally altered the way in which millions of people lived their lives. However, not everyone was willing to accept the notion that such change was, by its nature, inevitably beneficial to humanity. Indeed, the wisdom of placing too much faith in science is called into question in some of the literature of the time like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Shelley seems to be suggesting, amongst other things, that raising science to the status of godhood carries with it inherent risks that demand careful consideration.

Your job is to conduct research about modern science and philosophy and decide whether or not Mary Shelley’s story still rings true. This essay requires that you research the role that science and technology plays in our own time and from that research, the book  and your own thinking about the topic. You should then develop an essay which demonstrates how science and technology are advancing much more rapidly than is our wisdom to use them properly, and thus are becoming the equivalent of modern day 'monsters.'

  • Your essay should focus on one of our science related themes like Science Running Out of Control¸ or The Nature of Man.
  • Your essay should be researched based, meaning you should have at least five sources. I have given you a list of sites to get you started, but these by no means are comprehensive. Make sure that your essay only focuses on one or two science related ideas.
  • I’ve given you a list of search terms that you may want to try on Google  or the Student Resource Center and also have included a list of more specific resources below.
  • Your essay should also make reference to Frankenstein. You should let your reader know what Mary Shelley says about Science.

·        Your essay should be 4-5 pages.

Here are a list of some search terms associated with Science and Technology: acid rain, animal testing, automation & unemployment, bioethics, biomedical- technology, cloning, computers, ecology, electomagnetic- radiation, environment,ethics, gene therapy, genetic counselling, genetic engineering ,genetic screening, global warming, human experimentation, human genome project, nuclear energy, organ donation, ozone layer, packaging pesticides, pollution, pre-natal testing, reproductive technologies, toxic waste, toxicology, trans-species transplants, waste disposal.

 

Info directly related to Frankenstein and Science

Science and Technology

·         Birth of Frankenstein - discusses how electricity was used to revive bodies

·         Promise and Peril - provides a brief history of the benefits and ethical questions which surround medical discoveries

·         Imagining Technology, the Body, and the First Cyborg - passages from _Frankenstein_ which refer to electricity

·         Should we be cloning around? - CNN article that discusses the pros and cons of cloning; transcript of a February 1997 interview

·         MSNBC- Cloning History - timeline of cloning from 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D.

·         Cloning History - CBS News; interactive timeline

·         Glossary of Terms - CBS News

·         DNA Model - CBS News

·         _U.S. News and World Report_ - Home page; search 'Cloning'

·         'ABC News' - home page; search 'cloning' Nature of Man…

Here is a list of Articles from the Student Resource Center:If you have problems viewing these sites, you must first Link to the Student Resource Center Page to Authenticate. Once you have done that, come back here to search through these website

·        It’s not all in the Genes

·        Nurturing is Important

·        Is it all in the Genes

·        Don’t Blame me, Blame my Genes

·        Shyness Sadness, is it Nature

·        Sins and Twins

·        Frankenstein Noble Savage

·        Noble Savage in Frankenstein

Science Running Out of Control

Human Genetics Info

·        Implications of the Human Genome Project: Scientific, ethical and legal issues related to the Human Genome Project

·        Ethical Legal and Social Issues: Issues related to the Human Genome Project

·        Opposing Viewpoints Resources: A huge resource for this project. Search for genetics and get both sides of the issue

Bioengineered Food

·        Why Biotech: Information on why Bioengineered food makes sense.

·        Genetically Modified Food Definitions and links to various sites related to genetically engineered food

·        Pros and Cons Article relating the pros and cons of genetically engineered food

·        GE Food Alert: committed to testing and labeling of Genetic Food

·        True Food Now Greenpeace site dedicated to Genetically engineered food

·        Opposing Viewpoints Resources:  A huge resource for this project. Search for Bioethics and start digging.

Social Darwinism

·        Social Darwinism

·        Evolution and Philosophy