Answer:
Online class is being taken by us.
In this excerpt, we can read the conclusion of Victor Frankenstein about science: in the 19th century, scientists pursue their studies at any personal or moral cost:
"With a confusion of ideas only to be accounted for by my extreme youth and my want of a guide on such matters, I had retrod the steps of nowledge along the paths of time and exchanged the discoveries of recent inquirers for the dreams of forgotten alchemists. Besides, I had a contempt for the uses of modern natural philosophy. It was very different when the masters of the science sought immortality and power; such views, although futile, were grand; but now the scene was changed. The ambition of the inquirer seemed to limit itself to the annihilation of those visions on which my interest in science was chiefly founded. I was required to exchange chimeras of boundless grandeur for realities of little worth.
Such were my reflections during the first two or three days of my residence at Ingolstadt, which were chiefly spent in becoming acquainted with the localities and the principal residents (..)"
When the objective of the science experiments is only the recognition, the need for making something original and spectacular, to be regarded by other scientists the results could be terrible. For example, the creation of the poor monster of Frankenstein story.
It's not about how to tell him.
It's just that you have to tell him.
I would recommend being direct. Men tend to communicate directly more. Don't hint. Don't say “we should just be friends” don't say how good of a time you had. Because being indirect like that, while is nice and it does soften the blow a bit, it also creates an opportunity for him to look for hidden meaning, trying to find how there might be a chance.
Better to just be direct, “I have to tell you this, I don't want to lead you on. I don't have romantic feelings for you. I feel it's better to tell you this out of respect to you and your time. I'm sorry”
You cant control how someone responds to this situation, but the right thing to do is to let him know asap. And you have to find comfort knowing you did the right thing.
He will either take it well or he won't, the HOW it was said will have little to do with how he takes it. And how he responds is part of his set of challenges.
Don't feel guilty for leading him on before. You cant change that (if that's actually what happened) what you can change is not continuing to do so.
