Team Jijsaw's entry in Themed Tower (second round) for the MocAthalon 2011: The Corruption of Science!
The first stage starts out innocently enough with a desire to learn more and expand one's repertoire of knowledge.
The second stage comes with the realization that with advanced knowledge comes the opportunity to make large amounts of money.
The third stage is a natural progression as one realizes that with money, one can have near-limitless power funded by wealth, fueled by knowledge, and based in science.
The fourth stage comes with a mind corrupted by power, wealth, and knowledge. When you have it all, what else to do but seek revenge against anyone who ever stood in your way?
The fifth stage is a realization that all the knowledge, wealth, power and revenge in the world cannot save one from death.
And so, turning back to science, one tries to either reconcile their self or become immortal, not realizing their efforts are made futile through the very science they made their lives upon.