• if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain

    Many other elements that Victor does not mention might restrain such inquiry, from
    fear of divine retribution to worry over the possible ethical consequences of scientific
    intervention. Upon a closer look, the reader may wish to recognize an abiding egotism
    underlying Victor's exclusive concentration on the efficacy of an individual scientist's
    endeavor, without regard for its extrinsic contexts or its social impact.