Technology Innovation

Have you ever noticed that each subsequent generation builds on the knowledge, and research of the past? Every bit of advancing technology we have today is bathed in the discoveries and inventions of yesteryear. In other words, progress is incremental, and the power of knowledge moves us forward. Luckily, we have the written language, the spoken language, and now we have the computer language.

Thus, we are able to retain the information of our ancestors, and pass that torch forward, and we are also able to pass forward the technology, innovations, ideas, concepts, and inventions of the present period and a higher rate of speed. Therefore, we can not only build upon the information of the past, but also the information of the present faster than at any time in history.

Is it this ability that allows the human species to move forward, while other species are unable to build upon the prior information that has been learned? Some could say that other species like humans save information in the DNA of the evolutionary process, and the body remembers how to reproduce in such a way to provide the best use of the genes and adaptations. Okay, true enough, but I am talking about the knowledge we pass down too, so is this what makes humans different? It very well might be a significant factor. Let me explain.

Not long ago, I was discussing this with a fellow think tanker, and acquaintance. Zlati states; “The power of human knowledge, it seems, comes from our ability to pass ideas through the generations, to build upon the foundations of others, to learn and not merely to discover.”

It appears that way, but how can you say for certain that “we” as a species has not forgotten more than we will ever know? And sometimes what may be deemed or thought of as progressive is actually regressive and merely allowing minds and collectives of minds to be doomed to repeat the ills of past periods?

Additionally, much of the history that we have written down is actually false, and we may be collecting information from the past that is not the actual reality. Therefore, we are deceiving ourselves by looking at the past records, and actually preventing ourselves from moving forward to a better future.

So, whereas we are able to do this as a species and pass forward stories and information, are we passing on the right information? And if we are passing on the wrong information are we really doing ourselves that much more of a benefit, then a species which doesn’t pass on information in the same way? Remember there is no specific exact answer, this is a philosophical debate.

In observation, it appears that enough of the correct information has been put forth forward to help us progress faster than other species, but a lot of that is also due to our ability to build tools to help us because of our dexterity that was garnered through the evolutionary process. Although this may seem like a complex debate, it’s really not, and therefore it like you to please consider it.

By: Lance Winslow

Tags: Acquaintance, Adaptations, Advancing Technology, Ancestors, Collectives, Computer Language, Discoveries, Foundations, Generations, Genes, Human Knowledge, Human Species, Ills, Inventions, Philosophical Thoughts, Spoken Language, Technology Innovations, Time In History, Torch, Yesteryear