Information Recording - Printing Press

The answer has to lie in the field of communication, in particular the ability to record information. Why? Because, only one attribute sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom and has made human advancement possible - the ability to record 'information'. Writing started it all, but that isn't patentable.

I therefore suggest the 'printing press'.

To support my thesis, I defy anyone to find a patent brought to fruition by one who was not helped, and inspired, by ideas, and knowledge, passed on, directly, or indirectly, by the printed word.

Would we have had a Galileo, Newton, Einstein, Wright Bros, Ford, Bell, Edison, Gates, et al, without books?

There were scribes before the printing press, but duplicating their work to preserve it, and make it available to the masses was not possible. We have only fragments of the first New Testament hand scribed in Greek.

How many knew of Euclid and Aristotle before the printing press? How many after?

The printing press enabled the wide spread of information that reached the far corners of the world, inspiring teachers who could act as catalyst to even the illiterate.

The printing press enabled the recording of ideas which Science was able to subject to empirical study, and further record findings.

Where would we be without books, where would books be without the printing press?

Even today, with mass sophisticated information technology, there is still the printed word such as ‘New Scientist’ at work on the mind of man.

Submitted by: Ray Newton