Frankenstein complex

English

Etymology

Coined by American science fiction author Isaac Asimov in 1947 in his novelette Little Lost Robot. From Victor Frankenstein, the title character of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein.

Noun

Frankenstein complex (plural Frankenstein complexes)

1. The fear that an artificial intelligence will turn against humans.
   • 1947 March, Isaac Asimov, “Little Lost Robot”, in Astounding Science Fiction, volume 39, number 1, page 116:

     I'll admit that this Frankenstein Complex you're exhibiting has a certain justification—hence the First Law in the first place.

   • 1987 December, Lois McMaster Bujold, “Falling Free”, in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, volume 108, number 13, page 30:

     Mr. Graf, you're still disturbed. You sure you're not harboring just a little of the old Frankenstein complex about all this? It's all right to admit it to me—in fact, I want you to talk about it.

   • 1992, Joseph C. Segen, The Dictionary of Modern Medicine, →ISBN, page 234:

     The central character of Mary Shelley's novel by the same name 'Frankenstein' is used as an adjective in a variety of biomedical contexts, eg Frankenstein complex The fear that machines via artificial intelligence may replace physicians

   • 2010, Graham J. Murphy, Sherryl Vint, editors, Beyond Cyberpunk: New Critical Perspectives, Routledge, →ISBN, page 197:

     No wonder Gibson introduces the Turing Registry agents in Neuromancer, representatives of cyberpunk's own apparent Frankenstein Complex: “For thousands of years men dreamed of pacts with demons. Only now are such things possible. […] ”

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007), “Frankenstein complex”, in Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford, Oxfordshire, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, pages 67–68.
• Jesse Sheidlower, editor (2001–2024), “Frankenstein complex n.”, in Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.