One of the major images connected to SF, one of its most important contributions to the larger cultural landscape, is the image of the mad scientist . For many of us, this is the first, most powerful image of scientist we have...the image of the seeker, driven for knowledge, who does not care what limits he has to violate. He will strive for knowledge even to the peril of his mortal soul. "There are some things," the mad scientist always ends up finding out, "man was not meant to know."

There is a long-standing cultural fear of knowledge, and learning. To learn too much, to understand too much, is to enter a realm best reserved for gods. Think of the story of the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Knowledge. Some people interpret that story as warning of what happens when you try to know too much. There is also the idea, from Greek drama, of hubris. Hubris is pride, the arrogant pride that makes men act like gods, and that the gods always punish.

SF is often about the limits of science, the dangers of science. It's in these stories of robots, of created beings, that we see some of the deepest fears of the dark sides of science. Many of us even today fear and distrust science, and scientists. Some of you already commented on that in Module One. SF often helps us to explore these fears, sometimes strengthening them. At its best, though, SF lets us see both sides of this issue, the power of the drive for knowledge and understanding, as well as the possible consequences this drive can bring about.

The story of Dr. Frankenstein and his creature is a classic example of this. Rent and watch the movie, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (caution! there are many versions of the Frankenstein story. Only the one called "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" is OK for this class. You can rent it, usually available at Blockbuster, or online or it's on reserve in the Newman library. Go to the discussion board and post your reactions to the movie, and to this issue of hubris generally.