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History's most important invention

TurtleDude said:
the concept of currency. think what that did. it allowed divisions of labor, and the creation of cities
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I would put that at number four on my list. If not its a definitely a top ten.
 
lizzie said:
Well, the first writing tools were sharp stones, twigs, pieces of natural pigments from minerals, etc. I wouldn't consider those inventions.
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I guess we will have to disagree.
 
A much as I am absolutely loathe to admit it, codified mathematics pretty definitely ranks in there around the top five or ten spots as well. :lol:
 
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lizzie said:
Language still isn't an invention, nor is writing. The tools may be.

Neanderthal Joe wasn't just sitting under the tree one day, and think to himself, "Hmmmm, I think if I could invent a language, it would revolutionize the world". ;) Language evolved with the need to communicate.
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Most inventions don't start that way. Generally somebody needs to do something and just finds a way to do it or do it easier. Necessity being the mother and all.
 
Gathomas88 said:
A much as I am absolutely loathe to admit it, mathematics pretty definitely ranks in there around the top five or ten as well. :lol:
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Top 10 for sure. Its goes along with money. You need math to have money.
 
JC Callender said:
What wouldn't be an evolutionary impulse?
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To me, an invention is what I would consider a useful tool or product which serves to improve quality of life. Maybe I'm not understanding invention as the definition that some of you grasp it as. The impulse would be something inherent in the human mind which facilitates understanding and creativity. The invention would be the physical product of such creativity.
 
the discovery that germs cause disease-with that came modern concepts of sanitation, vaccinations and antibiotics.
 
TurtleDude said:
the ability to store information which of course starts with writing

electricity

the internal combustion engine

radio

metallurgy
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You left out STEAM. Steam power was the heart of the industrial revolution.
 
lizzie said:
To me, an invention is what I would consider a useful tool or product which serves to improve quality of life. Maybe I'm not understanding invention as the definition that some of you grasp it as. The impulse would be something inherent in the human mind which facilitates understanding and creativity. The invention would be the physical product of such creativity.
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Well, yea. However, I think that's more or less what we've been saying.

The impulse to communicate information through language is absolutely natural for our species. No one's arguing with you on that point.

We were just pointing out that the same doesn't really apply to writing. The assembly of a specific set of abstract symbols meant to convey, and preserve, exact ideas outside of spoken language is pretty definitely an "invention," as it isn't something a person would ever do instinctively in the course of their day-to-day lives.

It is something they would have to work at.

Edit:

Arguably, the same could be said concerning religion.

Loosely defined "spirituality" is instinctual, but codified systems of ethics and beliefs are an "invention" of either God or man. ;)
 
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iguanaman said:
You left out STEAM. Steam power was the heart of the industrial revolution.
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true enough. its up there too. but I think metallurgy was more important-as was electricity and the internal combustion engine. Its top 20 for sure
 
lizzie said:
To me, an invention is what I would consider a useful tool or product which serves to improve quality of life. Maybe I'm not understanding invention as the definition that some of you grasp it as. The impulse would be something inherent in the human mind which facilitates understanding and creativity. The invention would be the physical product of such creativity.
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When you brought it up earlier in the context of language, I agreed. But I thought you might be referring to the fact that language is a broad term describing something that's taken thousands of years to evolve. I still think we invented it though, but because it's so broad and spread throughout history, it may not be suitable in a list of inventions. I think a particular language or a particular communication tool may be more appropriate, so we probably somewhat agree on this, although I'll admit I'm not sure. :)
 
JC Callender said:
When you brought it up earlier in the context of language, I agreed. But I thought you might be referring to the fact that language is a broad term describing something that's taken thousands of years to evolve. I still think we invented it though, but because it's so broad and spread throughout history, it may not be suitable in a list of inventions. I think a particular language or a particular communication tool may be more appropriate, so we probably somewhat agree on this, although I'll admit I'm not sure. :)
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I look at it this way:
concept: not invention
physical product of concept: invention

Language evolved to facilitate communication. Communication isn't an invention, but a telephone, ink pen, computer, and other tools of communication are inventions. A case could probably be made for early writing tools, especially if early humans had to alter natural products in order to use them (ie knapping flint, sharpening a charred stick, etc). We could communicate regardless of our ability to write. We could be religious regardless of our access to religious texts or religious symbols, so I don't consider language and religion to be inventions.
 
I would put the pointed weapon (spear tip) allowing humans to become hunters and able to defend against otherwise greater predators on the list.
 
lizzie said:
I look at it this way:
concept: not invention
physical product of concept: invention

Language evolved to facilitate communication. Communication isn't an invention, but a telephone, ink pen, computer, and other tools of communication are inventions. A case could probably be made for early writing tools, especially if early humans had to alter natural products in order to use them (ie knapping flint, sharpening a charred stick, etc). We could communicate regardless of our ability to write. We could be religious regardless of our access to religious texts or religious symbols, so I don't consider language and religion to be inventions.
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If someone invented a language today that was so easy and efficient that the entire world decided to use it, would that be considered an invention?

The way I understand these posters is that language is English, Spanish, Hebrew, etc... and religion is Christianity, Buddhism, etc...although I could be wrong.
 
JC Callender said:
If someone invented a language today that was so easy and efficient that the entire world decided to use it, would that be considered an invention?

The way I understand these posters is that language is English, Spanish, Hebrew, etc... and religion is Christianity, Buddhism, etc...although I could be wrong.
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I guess you could assume that view of language and religion, but I am referring to language as a way of communication, and to religion as an expression of a human impulse to understand how he fits into a worldview, and not to dialects or regional communication techniques, or denominations.
 
lizzie said:
I look at it this way:
concept: not invention
physical product of concept: invention

Language evolved to facilitate communication. Communication isn't an invention, but a telephone, ink pen, computer, and other tools of communication are inventions. A case could probably be made for early writing tools, especially if early humans had to alter natural products in order to use them (ie knapping flint, sharpening a charred stick, etc). We could communicate regardless of our ability to write. We could be religious regardless of our access to religious texts or religious symbols, so I don't consider language and religion to be inventions.
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I view a human construct as an invention. Techniques by which we communicate become an invention of our own.
 
Fiddytree said:
I view a human construct as an invention. Techniques by which we communicate become an invention of our own.
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Is the howl of a coyote, or a honeybee dance an invention? These are communication methods developed by coyotes and honeybees.
 
Light. Even candles. Freed us from the sun cycle.

Refrigeration.
 
joko104 said:
I would put the pointed weapon (spear tip) allowing humans to become hunters and able to defend against otherwise greater predators on the list.
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I agree. Just the concept of a weapon, a stick or rock or bone, a la 2001: A Space Oddysey, is probably what got the whole human race going as a species. Otherwise we'd just be soft, fleshy, hairless bags of meat in Africa. Weapons must have created the first arms race, that forced the mix of competition and cooperation that led us to dominate the planet.

Gary Larsen summed it up best:

softandpink3sf.webp
 
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