teratology

noun

Etymology: From terato- + -logy, from Ancient Greek τέρας (téras, “monster”) + -λογία (-logía, “study of”).

1. The study of congenital malformations, their development, and people with them.
2. The study of the mechanisms, teratogenic agents, or teratogens, in bringing about malformations.
3. The study or cataloging of monsters.

   “...I would identify a more recent and widespread tendency to remove evil from the realm of a properly human interpretation: what I call a postmodern teratology of the sublime.”

   “Despite being productive in embodying and critiquing human problems, however, the incorporation of the cyborg into teratology overlooks one important aspect that distinguishes this cybernetic creature from the rest of the monster phylum: we are able to choose how to fabricate and use the cyborg.”