Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: S0122017

Yes, without the spaceships, Uber-people, and healing energy crystals. Mostly.

But I think we also risk making a mistake by underestimating the technological gains that might have been made -- or just barely missed -- by those civilizations. I suspect that there were some discoveries made thousands of years ago that either were lost, or barely missed some essential connection with another discovery that might have meant a technological or industrial revolution far earlier than ours.

I would submit that the things lost in the various burnings of the library at Alexandria would have amazed us were we to find them hidden today. I would bet that we would be very surprised at what they knew or what things might have been known if only they'd put a few different ideas together.

It's tantalizing, but of course, imponderable.


48 posted on 05/09/2006 9:10:55 AM PDT by Ramius (Buy blades for war fighters: freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net --> 1100 knives and counting!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies ]


To: Ramius

They would not have had appliances working on electricity, as some people think. not counting those clay battery thingies with their 0.02 volt of course.

Many may have had concrete or cement, simple chemical processes in order to produce colourings, handy tricks to work metal very finely, etc.

But i am interested in thought, philosophy, society, organization.

You need some basic level of technology in order to develop new technology. However, you can come to amazing conclusions just by observation alone. They may have had superior methods for stone working or agricultural tricks which we could use, but I think ancient people should consider ideas as their greatest legacy.


49 posted on 05/09/2006 9:36:11 AM PDT by S0122017
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson