The Uninhibited Evolution of the Human Persona: A Transhumanistic Study of Anil Menon’s The Beast with Nine Billion Feet

Narendiran S,Bhuvaneswari R

doi:10.20896/saci.vi0.740

Abstract

Debates on intuition about transformed humankind in the future have led to the conception of transhumanism. It is a new philosophical movement to express the ideology that humanism will evolve by employing science and technology. Supporters of transhumanism believe that scientific aid in the evolution of humans will take them beyond the bounds of physical and mental limitations; eventually, it will make them immortals. The influence of transhumanism in literature has given birth to seminal works of art, particularly science fiction. Anil Menon’s The Beast with Nine Billion Feet is one such novel which sprang out the moral issues due to the rapid growth of science and technology affecting social, cultural, and political scenarios in India. The story is about genetic engineering and its impact on the socio-political problems. In addition to unfolding the threats and opportunities of transhumanism, the novel also touches on the issues of young adults like acquiring autonomy and finding their true identity. This study attempts to bring out the trepidation and chaos resultant of the period of transition and the multiple challenges and threats to the human race.

Highlights

The beginning of the 21st Century was marked by the rapid development of new branches of science, which started to challenge traditional convictions about a significant number of anthropological issues
One such book is The Beast with Nine Billion Feet created by Anil Menon
Even Sivanbhau, a real genius of biology, is responsible for ruining his son’s life and this fact proves once again that transhumanism is a problematic philosophy because it hides a significant number of challenges and threats which people do not know how to solve and face

Summary

Introduction

The beginning of the 21st Century was marked by the rapid development of new branches of science, which started to challenge traditional convictions about a significant number of anthropological issues. Ria and Francis can be called models of new literary characters which typical for young adult science fiction They experience the intrusion of the technologies which modified their body, and it had an undeniable impact on their lives. Francis demonstrates a high level of aggression to the representatives of various social and cultural groups In this way, the author promotes the idea according to which any technological intrusion into the process of childbearing and child conception is dangerous because it can bring a significant number of psychological and even physical problems. Sivan-bhau does the research for scientific development and for advancement of human life whereas, Vispala/Mandira do it for power and control over the people and government, but it definitely influences their children who are taught to lie by the real-life examples of their parents This is especially true in the case of Aditya’s who has to face the consequences of the scientific experiment, born with dyslexia. Even Sivanbhau, a real genius of biology, is responsible for ruining his son’s life and this fact proves once again that transhumanism is a problematic philosophy because it hides a significant number of challenges and threats which people do not know how to solve and face

Conclusion

Conflict of Interest Statement