See to it, m"Lord, that thou fearest them as much as they shall now fear thee, that none may unleash this dread thing which we have wrought" (Miller 62). Unfortunately, the leaders were blinded by greed and thirst for power, and unleashed the weapons in an effort to annihilate the other leaders, and thereby gain sole control over the world. This led to the destruction of the majority of humanity and all that humanity had worked thousands of years to create. Had the technology not been available, a great war similar to World War I may have occurred in the novel, in which millions died, but no nation had the ability to wipe out another nation in one swipe. The scientists obviously knew the great implications that their nuclear bombs had, but were so busy trying to equal the other nations, that they thrust their inhibitions aside. .
Even the most seemingly innocent of all inventions usually opens the door to the creation of technology which has a more sinister purpose. In the second part of the novel, "Fiat Lux," technological advancement comes from a very unlikely source. A monk named Kornhoer is a bright but narrow-minded individual who cannot see the effects that his actions may cause. Brother Kornhoer develops a machine capable of producing a light of astounding power. The success of the experiment is the practical truth that pushes the great philosopher and scientist, Thon Taddeo, to the realization that his study of technology is more real than he ever thought. This invention is the key to opening the gate of technology for the next era of civilization, as it is one of the first inventions which is similar to those found in the Pre-Flame Deluge era. Miller foreshadows the reality that people who create technology are never open-minded enough to see the consequence of their actions, and if they were, they would not take responsibility for them, through the statement of a poet, " [Crown the goat] with the crown Saint Lebowitz sent you and thank him for the light that's rising.