The Monster Makers

Where do monsters come from?

Some are born...
others become...
some are transformed...
and others are made...

This month I want to talk about the monster makers -
MAD SCIENTISTS!

The geniuses who in their zeal for their work, or perhaps their vision for humanity (or the small slice of it which they consider worthy), cross ethical and moral lines and as a result bring havoc into our world.

But where do we draw that line? Doesn't it shift from one generation to another, driven by the winds of public opinion and religious dogma? And isn't every scientific genius suspect in his own generation?



Dr. Bill Cortland, the visionary medical genius in The Brain that Wouldn't Die, has convinced himself that his experiments are for the good of mankind. Indeed, as we watch this story filmed in 1959 (and released in 1962) the argument between Bill and his father over limb and organ transplants seems rather archaic in a day and age when such procedures have become commonplace.

On a side note - I was surprised by Jan's quip about test-tube babies - a procedure which wasn't successful until 1978; but upon doing some research (WIKIPEDIA rules!) it appears the term had been in use at least since the 1940's - which again points out that fine line between that which was once considered scandalous being now accepted as the norm.


Dangerous Extremes

To make all of your life choices based on public opinion is to lose sight of yourself as an individual; but to ignore public opinion entirely is to lose sight of everyone else except yourself (egomania).

Egomania + power & resources leads to megalomania and voila! - there's your MAD SCIENTIST!

But are ALL Mad Scientists EVIL?

In my opinion, the difference between an evil megalomaniac and a good-hearted but eccentric scientist (e.g. Fred MacMurray's Absent-Minded Professor), is a matter of a functioning vs. a defective conscience; much the same as the difference between an average person and a serial killer.

WHAT prevents most people from crossing that line?

I would sum it up as fear of reprisal, a clear understanding of right and wrong and an attitude of "do unto others as you would they do unto you."

But the mad scientist, the serial killer and the evil dictator ignore that still, small voice inside. They posit their own, personal vision as the highest authority in their lives: higher than commonsense ethics, higher than the law of the land, and higher than God.

Dr. Bill's assistant asks him where he will find a body on which to transplant Jan's head? Dr. Bill icily replies: "There are ways..."

In Dr. Bill's case, his desire to keep Jan alive (whether truly driven by love or his need to prove his medical skills to the world) supersedes Thou shalt not kill. In affect, he has short-circuited his conscience by justifying to himself and others that, although what he plans to do might be wrong - it's NECESSARY.

But are there ever Necessary Evils?

Pretty black and white, right? Actually, that's the problem - there's an awful lot of gray areas here.

I already mentioned Dr. Bill's good intentions. Likewise, Dr. Frankenstein had high hopes of making the world a better place through his experiments. I don't know that either of them qualify as EVIL in the same sense as real-life mad scientist Dr. Josef Mengele. But all of them, Mengele included, exhibit signs of a conscience calloused by an arrogant self-justification of their not-quite-so-moral deeds.

That particular weakness is common to most if not all of us: excusing our own sin while judging others on the basis that we're different from those other folks --- we HAVE to do what we do --- we don't have a choice like everyone else. But that's not true, is it?

That constantly shifting line in the sand...

Truth to be told, what was regarded as unethical or sacrilegious a few years ago is accepted as normal today (e.g. Test Tube Babies). That's not to say there are not, in fact, absolute morals; but a recognition that our personal and corporate idea of morality is often skewed by ignorance and prejudice.

Far too many don't take the time to examine ALL the facets of these complex issues, and quite frankly it's easier to let someone else feed us their opinions than for us to think for ourselves.

As a Christian I believe in absolute Truth; but I also recognize that as human beings we are incapable of absolutely comprehending that Truth (the whole seeing through a glass darkly scenario...)

So where DO we draw that line between Evil and Good --- between Mad and merely Eccentric?

And on what basis?

I'd like to know what you think!