Frankenstein: A Guided Literary Journey / Timeless Warnings & Wisdom for Our Technological Future

What can a 200-year-old Gothic novel teach us about artificial intelligence, gene editing, and the future of humanity? Everything. In 1818, eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein—a story about a scientist who creates life without understanding what he's creating or caring for what he's made. Two centuries later, as we develop AI systems that may achieve consciousness, engineer genetic modifications, and pursue technologies to transcend human limits, Shelley's warnings have never felt more urgent. This four-week course explores Frankenstein not as historical artifact, but as living mythology—a Promethean tale that illuminates our most pressing technological challenges. Through close reading paired with contemporary philosophy and real-world case studies, we'll discover striking parallels between Victor's laboratory and today's research facilities, between the Creature's awakening and debates about AI consciousness, between abandonment and the "alignment problem" plaguing artificial intelligence development. What You'll Explore: • Week 1: Creation Ethics – Victor's ambition meets CRISPR gene editing and synthetic biology. What obligations do creators have to their creations? • Week 2: Consciousness & Moral Status – The Creature's development alongside 2024-2025 AI consciousness research. How do we recognize minds, and what do we owe them? • Week 3: Responsibility & Alignment – From Victor's abandonment to recent AI incidents (Character.AI, chatbot failures). Who's responsible when technology causes harm? • Week 4: Our Technological Future – Transhumanism, enhancement, and the choices ahead. What would responsible "Frankenstein science" look like? Course Format: • Four weekly 120-minute sessions (virtual) • Discussion-based and interactive • No prerequisites—accessible to all thoughtful adults • Primary text: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (any edition) • Optional supplementary readings provided