An essay by Dr. Phillip “Pip” Jaminson, as provided by Michael Hudson
Art by Luke Spooner
Do the undoubtedly groundbreaking discoveries sought by the mad scientific community always have to be motivated by a villainous desire to counter all that is morally right and just?
Yes, end of article. Cue the lightning and maniacal laughter.
No, no, no, I’m kidding of course, but there does seem to be an inordinate focus from the general public on the harm that mad science can cause. Yes, mad science is a viable tool for many of us, such as yours truly, to further our own intricate schemes for planetary dominance. There are many among us, however, who possess an unnerving dedication to the pursuit of knowledge at any price, simply for the benefits it may provide. No one stops to think about the good things that fringe science has gifted upon an undeserving and oftentimes unsuspecting world. The messy uncertainty of a routine beheading was revolutionized, pun intended, with the perfection of the guillotine in 18th century France. A potentially disastrous worldwide famine was averted with the mysterious and timely discovery of Soylent Green. The Gatling gun, predecessor of modern automatic weaponry, was created with the noble purpose of reducing the human cost of warfare while demonstrating its inherent futility. To this very day, orbital anti-matter lasers help to reduce the unsightly cluttering of excess matter around large centers of population across the globe. I could go on, but my point is that evil is in the perception of our scientific pursuits rather than the pursuits themselves. Except for Soylent Green, that was pretty messed up when you think about it.
Science is beholden to no one and mad science is even less beholden than that. We transcend the divisive labels of good and evil while casting aside the question of right or wrong; mad science gives us the answers to problems that the traditional sciences are too afraid to broach.
To read the rest of this story, check out the Mad Scientist Journal: Spring 2015 collection.
Dr. Phillip “Pip” Jamison, The Shame of Glasgow, was born in the chilly northern city of Glasgow, Montana. He is a respected and feared pioneer in the emerging field of orbital disintegration technology. He is the recipient of two honorary degrees from the University of Texas which the university claims were granted under duress. The doctor’s whereabouts are currently unknown, which is exactly the way he wants it.
Michael Hudson is originally from Springfield, Missouri, and moved to San Antonio, Texas, while in the Army. He lives there with his girlfriend and their lazy, poop-machine of a cat, Prince.
Luke Spooner a.k.a. ‘Carrion House’ currently lives and works in the South of England. Having recently graduated from the University of Portsmouth with a first class degree he is now a full time illustrator for just about any project that piques his interest. Despite regular forays into children’s books and fairy tales his true love lies in anything macabre, melancholy or dark in nature and essence. He believes that the job of putting someone else’s words into a visual form, to accompany and support their text, is a massive responsibility as well as being something he truly treasures. You can visit his web site at www.carrionhouse.com.
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