Depiction of Anthropocentric Attitudes: A Posthumanist Perspectives in H. G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau

Abstract

A geological epoch known as the Anthropogenic is defined by substantial human influence on Earth’s ecosystems and climate, as evidenced by increasing sea levels, declining biodiversity, and rising temperatures. By stressing human’s interconnectedness with non-human beings, challenging anthropocentrism, and investigating novel forms of subjectivity and identity, posthumanism is a philosophical movement that opposes traditional humanism. This paper examines how the novel addresses the possibilities of human evolution, the boundaries of human control, and the ethical consequences of human interference with nature. H.G. Wells explores themes in The Island of Doctor Moreau that are highly relevant to contemporary philosophical issues, especially the anthropocentric era and the posthuman situation. This study focuses on two main questions: How does The Island of Doctor Moreau illustrate the breakdown of human and non-human barriers, and how may this breakdown be interpreted in context of the Anthropogenic? In addition, how does the book foreshadow the idea of the posthuman, in which science, technology, and ecological degradation pose a growing threat to human agency, identity, and ethics? Through a critical analysis of these themes, the paper argues that Wells’ works provides a profound reflection on the ethical quandaries of bioengineering, the ramifications of human overreach, and the adaptability of species borders.