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A mad scientist is a Stock Character of Popular Fiction , either Villain ous, or benign and scatterbrained. Whether Insane , Eccentric , or simply bumbling, the mad scientist is often working with some utterly Fictional Technology in order to forward his or her evil schemes. Alternatively, he or she doesn't see the evil that will ensue from the Hubris of "playing God". Because of recent profusion of Geek culture, modern mad scientist depictions are often Satirical and Humor ous rather than critical. It should be noted that not all mad scientists are evil or villains. Some are actually protagonists, such as Dexter in the cartoon series '' Dexter's Laboratory ''. DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS Mad scientists are typically characterized by obsessive behaviour and the employment of extremely dangerous or unorthodox methods. They often are motivated by Revenge , seeking to settle real or imagined slights, typically related to their unorthodox studies. Their laboratories often hum with Tesla Coil s, Van De Graaff Generator s, Jacob's Ladder s, Perpetual Motion machines, and other visually impressive electrical oddments, or are decorated with Test Tube s and complicated Distillation apparatus containing strangely-colored liquids with no obvious purpose. Other traits include:
It is notable that most of these traits are little more than exaggerations of typical Stereotypes of normal Scientist behavior: Scientists are often stereotyped as being obsessive about their work, taking a dim view of societal considerations that interfere with it, perpetually adopting a "disinterested" worldview for the purposes of objectivity, etc. It is also perhaps interesting to note that the general public encounters working scientists largely while taking college classes from them. In this stratified environment, it is easy for professors to give an impression of being egotistical, obsessed with their research, or unconcerned. As a fictional archetype, the mad scientist can be seen as representing the fear of the unknown, and the consequences that will result when humanity dares to meddle with "things that are best left unknown". Similarly, the tendency of the mad scientist to place himself in the role of God may be an extension of the differences between religion and science, as exemplified by such topics as the debate over Evolution -- which is a favorite subject for mad scientists, who often create fantastic beasts and monsters in their laboratories. When the Frankenstein monster was born, its creator Henry (as he was called in the movie) Frankenstein cried out, "Now I know what it feels like to be God!". This statement was considered controversial enough for the line to be Censored from the 1931 filmed version of the story. There is no firm dividing line between sane scientists and mad scientists, and the ones mentioned in the rest of this article cover the entire spectrum. For a contrasting view of scientific exploration, see the List Of Heroic Fictional Scientists . HISTORY Precursors Since ancient times, popular imagination has circulated on archetypal figures who wielded esoteric knowledge. Shamans and Witch Doctor s were held in reverence and fear of their rumored abilities to conjure beasts and create demons. They shared many of the same perceived characteristics that have been passed onto mad scientists such as eccentric behavior, living as hermits, and the ability to create life. When the Catholic Church supressed these Animistic beliefs, a strain survived by passing itself off as a rational inquiry into nature, Alchemy . Alchemists were well known for behaving strangely, usually a result of Mercury Poisoning as in the case of Isaac Newton . A common ambition was to create the Homunculus , an artificial human. Alchemy declined with the advent of modern science during the Enlightenment . Birth of science and science fiction Since the 19th Century , fictitious depictions of Science have vacillated between notions of science as the salvation of society or its doom. Consequently, depictions of scientists in fiction ranged between the virtuous and the depraved, the sober and the insane. Until the 20th Century , optimism about progress was the most common attitude towards science, but latent anxieties about disturbing "the secrets of nature" would surface following the increasing role of science in wartime affairs. The prototypical fictional mad scientist was Victor Frankenstein , creator of Frankenstein's Monster , who made his first appearance in 1818 , in the Novel '' Frankenstein, Or The Modern Prometheus '' by Mary Shelley . Though Frankenstein is a sympathetic character, the critical element of conducting forbidden experiments that cross "boundaries that ought not to be crossed", heedless of the consequences, is present in Shelley's novel. Frankenstein was trained as both alchemist and modern scientist which makes him the bridge between two eras of an evolving archetype. His monster is essentially the Homunculus of a new form of literature, Science Fiction . 1927's . Nevertheless, the essentially benign and progressive impression of science in the public mind continued unchecked, exemplified by the optimistic " Century Of Progress " exhibition in Chicago, Illinois , 1933 , and the "World of Tomorrow" at the New York World's Fair of 1939 . However after the First World War , public attitudes began to shift, if only subtly, when Chemical Warfare and the Airplane were the terror weapons of the day. As an example, of all science fiction before 1914 which dealt with the end of the world, two-thirds were about naturalistic endings (such as collision with an Asteroid ), and the other third was devoted to endings caused by humans (about half were accidental, half purposeful). After 1914, the idea of any human actually killing the remainder of humanity became a more imaginable fantasy (even if it was still impossible), and the ratio switched to two-thirds of all end-of-the-world scenarios being the product of human maliciousness or error. Though still drowned out by feelings of optimism, the seeds of anxiety had been thoroughly sown. The most common tool of mad scientists in this era was Electricity . It was viewed widely as a quasi-mystical force with chaotic and unpredictable properties by an ignorant public. After 1945 Mad scientists had their heyday in '', in which Peter Sellers plays the titular Dr. Strangelove, is perhaps the ultimate expression of this fear of the power of science, or the misuse of this power. In more recent years, the mad scientist as a lone investigator of the forbidden unknown has tended to be replaced by mad as a typically solitary mad scientist, a major Retcon of the character's origins in the early 1980s made him the head of a megacorporation who also plays a leading role in his R & D department. Bob Page , the master villain in the computer game Deus Ex , is another example. Still, the pose has been used whimsically by popular science writers to attract readers. The techniques of mad science also changed after Hiroshima . Electricity was replaced by Radiation as the new tool to create, enlarge, or deform life (e.g. Godzilla ). As audiences became more savvy, Genetic Engineering and Artificial Intelligence have taken the spotlight (e.g. Blade Runner ). Mad scientists, and the relationship between man and technology in general, are the focus of the current , a contagious Memetic disease that causes obsessive behavior focused on some form of technology. QUOTATIONS :A recent survey of 1000 horror films distributed in the UK between the 1930s and 1980s reveals that mad scientists or their creations have been the villains of 30 per cent of the films; that scientific research has produced 39 per cent of the threats; and, by contrast, that scientists have been the heroes of a mere 11. ( Christopher Frayling , '' New Scientist '', 24 September 2005 ) ''See also:'' List Of Mad Scientists , Cranks , Evil Genius FIELDS OF RESEARCH
UNTOUCHED FIELDS Fields largely untapped by mad scientists include:
REAL-LIFE PROTOTYPES The scientists of literature and popular imagination have better defined our image of "mad science" than have actual scientists, because that is their function: to reflect back our own prejudices. "Popular belief and behavior are influenced more by images than by demonstrable facts" (Roslynn Doris Haynes, 1994). Some real-life scientists, not necessarily madmen, whose personalities (and sometimes, appearances) have contributed to the stereotype:
SEE ALSO Related lists REFERENCES ANALYZING THE CULTURAL MOTIF
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