Amphibian Man Transformation

Science fiction allows society an outlet to imagine world’s more fantastical than will ever be possible on our own planet. This includes fantastical notions of what humans can someday be and if it is ethical for humans to strive to be better by using science to better themselves. In the novel, The Genome, the film, Amphibian Man and the play, Professor Dowell’s Head, the ramifications of scientific modification is explored, illustrating that while science is beneficial to society it is not always for the good of the individual.
The Genome explores many scientific modifications, in this futuristic novel, as well as how harmful these modifications can be. These consequences can be looked at both on a greater scale and a more personal view. The
Ichthyander has been modified to be able to breath underwater for limited amounts of time. He falls in love with a pearl fisher’s daughter and his problems stem from this. After falling in love Ichthyander realizes how unhappy, and isolated he is. He daydreams of being able to swim with his love, which shows he not only yearns for her, but he yearns to not be the only one with his modification. His father, by giving him the ability to breathe underwater, unknowingly secluded his son away from ever having normal human connections. Additionally, a rich pearl fisher exploits Ichthyander for his ability, since he is the only one with his abilities. Since Ichthyander is viewed as the other by the pearl fishers, the exploitation can be justified. This exploitation just results in further dehumanization of him and further removes him from
In Professor Dowell’s Head, Professor Dowell is turned into an experiment by his own partner, Kern, and only lives as a head at the complete will of those around him. After his modification, Dowell has lost complete agency over himself and his actions and is forced to live on to assist his murderer in completing the science he had commenced. This modification is perilous to humans because it takes away all freedom. Without freedom, Professor Dowell ceases to be a human and only serves to be a head, only good for the experiment Kern is carrying out. As well, Kern has no care for the people that these heads belong to. When one of the secondary heads dies, he does not worry much or is even concerned over who that person was. This modification dehumanizes the person and allows their sense of agency to be robbed from