THE LOSS OF HERCULES - THE FRUIT OF FIRE

Ancient thought believed that techne was the exclusive prerogative of man. That only man could transform nature, to the point of using violence on it. Techne therefore implies the possibility of hubris, of excess, of an outrageous outrage that unduly suppresses distance from the gods. The transgressor of the limit will be awaited by a punishment, by a retaliation that restores the broken order. the fate of Prometheus, punished for the theft of fire, for the gift of technical knowledge (entechnos sophia to mortals, and then promoted to tutelary deity of that libertas inquirendi that distinguishes modern science: in the sign of a 'happy' hubris, presupposition of any advancement of knowledge, unthinkable without a will to trespass.