page_title: Playing God (ethics)
section_title: Etymology
hierarchical_section_title: Playing God (ethics) / Etymology
caption_attribution_description: English: The official theatrical of Frankenstein (1931). The copyright is believed to be owned by Universal Pictures, and/or its graphic artist.
context_page_description: Playing God refers to someone supposedly taking on the role of God for other purposes, also referred to as apotheosis. Alleged acts of playing God may include, for example, deciding who should live or die in a situation where not everyone can be saved, and the use and development of biotechnologies such as synthetic biology and in vitro fertilisation. Usually the expression is used to invoke a precautionary principle or to suggest that someone should refrain from a controversial action.
  Philip Ball has argued that "playing God" is a meaningless and dangerous cliché that has no basis in theology; claiming instead, that it was adopted by theocons from the 1931 film version of Frankenstein, and has been used by journalists to refer to things they disagree with. Alexandre Erler, in response to Ball, has argued that while the phrase is not meaningless, it is extremely vague and requires further clarification for it to be useful within the context of an argument.
context_section_description: The term "playing God" has both a theological and secular sense. The phrase is often used as a counter-argument in science and/or religion. There are many interpretations of the variations of the term "playing God itself". The term has no specific answer and contains a plethora of definitions. An example is the Encyclopaedia separating the term into three broad categories: a developed understanding of natural laws, biomedical, and altering life and directing human evolution. "Playing God" generally refers to someone using their power to make decisions regarding the fate of an individual's life or many lives. The term itself originates from the 1931 film Frankenstein. The studio heavily edited the film and removed a segment from the original cut that had Henry Frankenstein proclaiming, "Now I know what it feels like to be God!" Theologian Paul Ramsey is noted for saying, "Men ought not to play God before they learn to be men, and after they have learned to be men they will not play God." The religious framework of approach to this phrase refers to said religion's deity having a set plan for mankind, therefore man's hubris may lead to the misuse of technology related to sacred life or nature. Other famous literary texts that elude to a man and God complex include Men Like Gods by H. G. Wells and You Shall Be Gods by Erich Fromm.
caption: The official theatrical of Frankenstein (1931).
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