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bilal_ali_2000
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Topic: Humanity's greatest invention Posted: 13-Sep-2007 at 05:01 |
The wheel is usually cited as humanity's greatest invention buti have serious objections to that idea. As we know that although the Americans did knew the wheel but it never found any large scale application because of a few reasons yet they had pretty advanced societies. I think that the importance of wheel to human society may be a bit overstated. Paper is another invention which is mentioned in that regard and it is correct that paper's contribution to society is unmistakable because paper allowed much larger amount of text to be stored in the same space that what was possible before. However i think that the one human invention which beats them all is the invetion of metal. Just imagine that what it was like before metals. Human had to fashion his tools from stone rather in a cumbersome manner by taking a stone and smashing it against another stone in the hope that the other stone would breakoff in the manner in which tools couldbe fashioned from it while with the invention of metal objects could be shaped according to precise specification. It also meant that now wood could be extracted from trees something which was not possible before and that led to another revolution including the invention of paper (which is made from wood) and wheel (which is usually made from wood as well as metal sometime). Thinking about it i have to say that i think that it is the one barometer of a high materialy evolved society rather than the wheel (who americans didn't used) and paper (who before 700 A.D much of the world did not have). Thoughts??
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Dolphin
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Posted: 13-Sep-2007 at 05:28 |
Humanity's greatest invention? Well, in order to justify the term humanity, for me the invention must be centred around the developement of the self, the spirit, or intellect if you will of our race. And under this distinction the printing press eclippses any other invention in terms of the availability of knowledge, the spreading of ideas, the value of opinion, the spread of religious ideologies, the basis for the global notion of mankind, the documentation of language for the masses, the education of the poor...The list goes on and on.
For me, without the printing press, our race would never have developed culturally, morally, ethically and intellectually to the point it has today. Yes, steel brought about great economic change, but what's the endgame? Only the development of the mind, in my view, can warrant true and perfect invention.
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Paul
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Posted: 13-Sep-2007 at 05:40 |
All technology, every tree cut down to build a house, to hunt with, to cut up an animal to make clothing with, for 1.5 million years was made from flint. A lot of people reguard flint technology as the most important invention ever.
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Posted: 13-Sep-2007 at 23:02 |
For me it is clear: writing. All complex societies had it, or at least something equivalent as accounting in knowted strings. Writing produced the start of the first informatic revolution.
Other crucial development was the domestication of plants and animals. This allowed people to live in large numbers in cities, and assured the start of "civilization" (or living in cities). It was the first energy revolution.l
The wheel was important to develop modern technology, but like it was said above, not all societies made full use of it at all. But more than the wheel itself, it is the thooted wheel the founding stone for developing mechanics. This is perhaps the first technological revolution of importance.
Pinguin
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Balaam
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 03:58 |
There needs to be more recognition for those sponges with the scourers on one side, they really do save alot of time and effort when cleaning the dishes.
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JanusRook
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 05:12 |
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Economic Communist, Political Progressive, Social Conservative.
Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
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Dolphin
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 05:18 |
Originally posted by JanusRook
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But Judge Dredd says that 'The Seashells' are the way forward!!
Pinguin, paper is the prerequisite for the printing press, so you have a point. Still though, the printing press is my choice.
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Majkes
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 12:52 |
We had such a discussion on my spanish lessons and we've agreed that the most important invention in human history was alphabet.
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Cywr
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 13:46 |
Wet wipes > toilet paper.
But the flushing toilet is way up there, much better than those drafty bum-out-the-window jobs.
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Arrrgh!!"
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Paul
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 14:24 |
Nah! Toilet paper is totally unecessary as long as Geofrey Archer continues to put pen to paper.
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elenos
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 17:37 |
The early American colonists used corn cobs for the toilet!
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elenos
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 18:51 |
Originally posted by Majkes
We had such a discussion on my spanish lessons and we've agreed that the most important invention in human history was alphabet. |
I do agree, although most Chineses don't. Most don't see the necesity of alphabetic writing.
Please, if there is a Chinese person reading this post, tell us what do you think about the importance of alphabetic writing
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SearchAndDestroy
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 19:35 |
The early American colonists used corn cobs for the toilet! |
Corn Husk, not the cob. The cob was eatten, the husk was left, so they used'em!
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"A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government." E.Abbey
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konstantinius
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 20:32 |
Humanity's biggest "invention" is agriculture, ca. 7-9,000 BC. Alas, this what's got us in the mess that we're in today.
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" I do disagree with what you say but I'll defend to my death your right to do so."
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mamikon
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 21:00 |
penicilin?
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Malik
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 21:32 |
Id say the alphabet
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elenos
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 21:49 |
Perhaps underwear?
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elenos
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bilal_ali_2000
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 23:18 |
Originally posted by konstantinius
Humanity's biggest "invention" is agriculture, ca. 7-9,000 BC. Alas, this what's got us in the mess that we're in today.
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I totally agree, and i take my statement back about metal being humanity's greatest invention, it is without a doubt agriculture
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Guests
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 23:37 |
Originally posted by elenos
Perhaps underwear? |
Not only underwear, but I would say "cloths" in general. That allow us to leave Kenya for colder places.
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elenos
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Posted: 14-Sep-2007 at 23:56 |
Good thinking pinquin. I'd stay at home and go nowhere without my clothes as well, even down the street!
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elenos
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