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Further into Imperfecta Living Curiosities: Agency and Exploitation of the Teratological Body Curiosity draws us to the monstrous. But seeing is believing: whether in a book, a museum, or in a show, for centuries people have flocked to see “monsters” for themselves. In the 19th century, many people born with non-normative bodies performed as “freaks” in circus sideshows. Circuses became a sensation and they served as a forerunner to the modern entertainment industry. This exhibit explores the lives of the performers and showmen whose livelihoods depended on the public’s curiosity about seeing wondrous bodies for themselves. Seeing is Believing: Visualizing the Teratological Body When it comes to the wondrous, seeing is believing. From this page, you can explore some of the ways that “monsters” have been depicted over the centuries. Woodcuts in early modern texts, preservation in medical museums, and photography all have been used to display people. These technologies allowed one person’s image to travel across the world and allowed their subjects to “survive” beyond death. What Does It Mean to be "Other?" What does it mean to be a “monster?” What does it mean to be “normal?” These are not objective categories. They have changed meaning throughout history as people have become exposed to a wider diversity of nature, people, and ideas. From this path, you can explore some types of “Otherness” that have, throughout history, challenged apparently objective categories and shaped the direction of science.

What Does It Mean to be "Human"?

How scientists classified a “human” vs. an “animal” varied throughout history and was dependent not only on science but also on contemporary religious and cultural ideas. The Greek philosopher Aristotle defined humans as having “rational souls” in addition to the animal’s “sensitive soul.” In the 18th century, Carl Linnaeus, the father of biological classification, created subcategories for monstrous or abnormal humans in his Systema Naturae (1735), a taxonomy that reflected not only Linnaeus’ natural theology (God’s wisdom is revealed through the study of creation) but also the discoveries of global exploration.

In the 20th century, genetic science illustrated the ambiguity that exists between was is “human” and what is “animal” through DNA sequencing. For example, humans and gorillas share 98.4% of their DNA; humans and mice, 90%. Primatologists have proven that some primate species are capable of language, as are some marine mammals. Elephants can recognize themselves in a mirror, a trait once thought only to be human.

Do these discoveries make us question what it means to be “human?”

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What does it mean to be a “monster?” What does it mean to be “normal?” These are not objective categories. They have changed meaning throughout history as people have become exposed to a wider diversity of nature, people, and ideas. From this path, you can explore some types of “Otherness” that have, throughout history, challenged apparently objective categories and shaped the direction of science.
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