Scientific research concerning living organisms is usually beneficial. They are done to cure people from illness and to save people's lives. Especially thanks to this day and age where we have the technology and research to do so, compared to back then. However when science used to alter people or animals then it crosses a line that is considered immoral to all -- for instance altering a rabbit’s genetics so that they can glow in the dark. Changing an organism and making them mutants like that violates the sacredness of life, and although it is somewhat condonable for this type of research with rabbits, if we were to do something similar to humans it would be beyond comprehension.
It is clear that Hawthorne does not agree with alternating the human form with science, especially when using that science to try and make things more perfect in ones life; "Has it never occurred to you that the mark upon your cheek might be removed?" says Aylmer hinting at how he wants to remove his wife’s birthmark, on her cheek. Aylmer feels that this experiment is necessary just because his wife was nowhere near perfect, with this birthmark. "...upon another arm perhaps it might, but ...you came so hideous from the hand of Nature that this slightest possible defect, which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty, shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection.” If Georgiana’s “imperfection” had not stood out so much in his eyes Aylmer more than likely would not have minded the birthmark, but because it does she is considered hideous. The use of the phrase "earthly imperfection", is very important because it hints at Hawthorne's theme. By removing Georgiana's "earthly imperfection", Aylmer is seen as if he is playing God because he is alternating her original form. Whether it is just or not depends on how one looks at it even though the experiment had succeeded. One can see it as just because it is just a minor change to oneself, which is quite common today. However in the eyes of Hawthorne, he wants the reader to see the severity of this issue and wants the reader to see the wrong in changing what has already been given to humans.
Hawthorne's theme of tampering with nature can easily be applied to today’s society. For example, there are surgeries to fix almost every flaw of the human body from unwanted hair to the tiniest wrinkles. Hawthorne also makes an interesting comparison between Aylmer and his assistant, Aminadab. He states that Aylmer has, "slender figure, and pale, intellectual face, were no less apt a type of the spiritual element.", while Aminadab “With his vast strength, his shaggy hair, his smoky aspect, and the indescribable earthiness that incrusted him, he seemed to represent man's physical nature." This shows how both men are on completely different ends of the spectrum. Another example of this, Aminadab mutters to himself, "If she were my wife, I'd never part with that birthmark." This also shows how Aylmer was indeed playing God by trying to make his wife perfect. However Aminadab was perfectly willing to keep the birthmark because he did not see the need for such perfection as it was apart of who she was and he was okay with that, but Aylmer, always wanting more than he could have, could not live with it seeing that it would be a detriment to himself.
With each new technological advance, we try to change nature and society, presumably for the better. Without realizing that everything we try and change loses it “earthly imperfection” that in the end makes every individual unique. Hawthorne is saying that we should not try to alter nature to make it perfect with science and technology because then everything in the end just becomes the same and there is no difference in our world. Especially with insignificant things like a flaw on the body. The closer one gets to achieving perfection, the more one obsesses with it and even those perfections will soon become blemishes and one will want to change that as well. One begins to lose sight of the fact that the insignificant flaws are just that, nothing but insignificant flaws, which make everyone of us unique in our own way. Hawthorne did not have a problem with science and its importance, but in this poem he is reminding the reader to not take things too far.