Well burrowed, old mole!

I think these three works are highly useful for thinking through the problem of technics/knowledge.

Prometheus and Epimetheus–This story from Plato’s Protagoras  shows, as Steigler has described, the originary techincity of human beings.  It shows the way that the problem of technology is radical for human beings and for thinking about the history of this species.  It also ties into the problem of stupidity as Deleuze expounds it, “animals are protected by specific forms” from stupidity [betise]. This story gives an account of this absence of specific form in the human being.

Faust–This play, by Goethe not Marlowe, against complacency.  When Faust stops striving to be god-like, he loses his soul to Mephistopheles. Mephistopheles will serve Faust so long as he does not become complacent. This conditional mastery that Faust enjoys depicts the situation of the human race in the face of technics.  Faust must fight complacency in order to keep his soul, if he becomes complacent, Mephistopheles takes the soul, it is his by the terms of their agreement.

Frankenstein–This novel depicts a terrible experimentation. Dr. Frankenstein in many ways re-enacts the story of the Golem, but this time it is via electricity harnessed through secular science that he does the deed.