Demonizing Transhumanism and Creating Otherness in Frankenstein and Other Selected Science Fiction Novels

Abstract

Transhumanism refers to the use of science and technology to overcome the limitations of humankind and has been one of the earliest themes found in myths that predate modern civilizations by millennia. While only a few works acknowledge its significance as a vital step in human evolution, most—including the texts examined in this study—portray it as a dangerous and ultimately doomed alternative to traditional healthcare. This article traces the cultural and literary evolution of transhumanism from its mythological roots to its modern representations in selected science fiction works, highlighting its chronological emergence in human consciousness from the 18th century onward and examining its posthuman developments. Central to the analysis is the concept of mediated otherness, or the alienation imposed by metanarratives, viewed through the Nietzschean lens of herd morality, which explains how power is preserved by rejecting diversity. The study also explores the role of high executive function modeling in behavioral development and its impact on shaping the collective unconscious. Through discourse analysis, it demonstrates how metanarratives generate meaning, enforce power structures, and establish social norms, while a theoretical framework reveals how cultural conventions shape literary traditions over time, traditions that are not always neutral or benevolent.