They Would Cut You Up: Difference between revisions

[[File:cit_tsukihime_c47_-_ciel_-_43rd_procedure.jpg|link=Tsukihime|rightframe|[[Who Wants to Live Forever?|A downside to immortality.]]]]

Sadly, there is some [[Truth in Television]] here (there is a long and dark history of [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_experimentation:Human experimentation#Human_vivisectionHuman vivisection|human subject research]] and the early days of biological science can best be summed up with "let's see how many needles we can stick in this dog before it stops making noises out of its mouth!") But this trope doesn't exactly show a fair or accurate portrayal of ''modern'' science. Currently, in [[Real Life]], scientists have to follow ''very'' strict ethical testing standards to be able to publish their results. Getting caught violating them can easily end their careers. It should also be noted that the [[Not Even Human]] excuse some scientists love to use in fiction would not apply in real life, as no law will explicitly refer to its subjects as being ''Homo sapiens''. Of course, these considerations only apply to scientists who ''intend'' their results to be publicly documented (e.g. secret military projects aren't). [[Not Cheating Unless You Get Caught|Crime is only punishable if one is caught]]. Further theories should be directed to [[No Delays for The Wicked]]. (Naturally, none of this applies to the [[Government Conspiracy|various black ops]] organizations that either suspect -- or already know about -- [[The Masquerade]].)

* Partially subverted in ''[[ETE.T. the Extraterrestrial (Film)|ET the Extraterrestrial]]'': {{spoiler|Despite their initially sinister appearance, the scientists pursuing E.T. show no sign of wanting to cut him up, and even try to save his life when he's dying. They do want to cart him off and lock him up in a secret location while they study him, though.}}

* In ''[[Phenomenon]]'' the government is almost totally upfront about wanting to do this to George. Because George's mind is [[Ninety Percent90% of Your Brain|working at near 100% efficiency]], it takes him no time at all to realize what they're not saying is {{spoiler|that the exploratory surgery they want to do would kill him, and that they think they'd get less data doing the same surgery after his death.}}

* This trope is why Rose didn't call a doctor for the Doctor in "[[Doctor Who (TV)|The Christmas Invasion]]".

** When short-lived companion Adam has future technology installed ''in his head'' in an attempt to set up a [[Timeline -Altering MacGuffin]] situation, the Doctor drops his useless ass back on earth and tells him that now he has to live quietly, less this happen to him. Which isn't going to be easy, since now his skull opens up every time someone snaps their fingers in his vicinity.

* ''[[The Daily Show]]'' spoofs this with a John Oliver story about two politicians who decided to campaign together while running against each other to send a message of civility. John concludes that in the world were to learn of their existence, "they would be poked and prodded until there was nothing left." The story ends on an homage to ''[[ETE.T. the Extraterrestrial (Film)|E.T.]],'' with Jon Stewart playing the part of the evil scientist.