At Big Think Paul Ratner proposes a list of the 20 greatest inventions in history. His list includes the usual suspects—fire, the wheel, the printing press, the semiconductor, nuclear fission. I think his list is weighted a bit towards power generation.
I also think that at least one of the items on his list doesn’t belong: the personal computer. It’s just an elaboration of the semiconductor and a much more important invention that doesn’t even make his list: the digital computer.
There are others, some much more rarely mentioned, that belong on the list of greatest inventions, too:
- Food preservation. Without the ability to retain surpluses most of the other inventions on his list would never have been invented.
- Knitting and weaving. It’s beautiful, functional, and thrifty. It’s one of the foundations of civilized life.
- Writing. Oddly, paper makes his list. Without writing paper would never have been invented. Writing allowed human beings to retain the spoken word, a critical development.
- The phonograph. Just as writing allows us to retain the spoken word, the phonograph allows us to retain sound—a basic conceptual development.
- Double entry bookkeeping. It’s hard to overestimate the importance of maintaining accurate financial records. Double entry bookkeeping is non-obvious to boot.
- Selective breeding. Very few of the things we eat today are in the form that nature made them. Useful characteristics have been carefully fostered through selective breeding.
- Paint. This one’s about preservation, too. Painted surfaces withstand the elements longer than non-painted ones. It’s also pretty.
I don’t think language is an invention. I think it’s more a characteristic. I also don’t think that agriculture is an invention. I think it’s an elaboration of horticulture which in turn is an obvious elaboration on returning to places where you found useful plants previously.
What else would you propose for a list of the greatest inventions?
1) Toilet paper. Don’t think so? Go a few days without.
2) Fermentation. Beer. ‘Nuff said.
3) Distillation. Whisky. Even better.
4) Suspension of brownies and cookie dough within ice cream. Huge breakthrough that I credit to Ben and Jerry.
5) Air conditioning. It made possible things like Florida and year-round government in Washington. (Granted a mixed blessing.)
6) The omelet pan.
7) The shower.
8) The heated car seat.
9) Gravity. Amazingly reliable stuff. I have never once been flung from the spinning surface of the globe.
10) Coffee.
Music
I’ve read that fermentation actually made cities possible. Lack of sanitation made the water deadly, alcohol made it safe to drink.
Other than that, I’d like to add the “scientific method” .
A deliberate process to discover what was found earlier by chance, or trial and error.
Oh, and Gay marriage, forgot that.
“Double entry bookkeeping.”
This may be putting too fine a point on it, but more generally measuring profitability and tracking pots of value and anti-value – assets and liabilities – are indespensible in modern commerce.
I think Sam makes a good point. Mozart and Led Zeppelin. What would the world be like without?
My additions:
Indoor plumbing trying spending a week or so without in the city.
The axle the humble rotating shaft makes the wheels go around that grind grain, pump water, generate electricity and make the big iron bird that holds the doomsday eggs fly.
Analgesia unless one likes to wide wake while that evil subdural hematoma is drained.