September 6, 2013
Printing Press: Does it take the gold medal?
I could argue that the Gutenberg's Printing Press is the most important invention of mankind. There are many arguments to support this claim, as discussed in class. So, your task is to answer the following question: If the Printing Press is NOT the most important invention to mankind, what is and why? If it is, argue it's merits and why other inventions don't compare. Be sure to additionally make a comment on ONE of your peers' posts (20 points total). Aim for at least 250 words, have STRONG thesis, and use evidence to support your argument in your post! Due Day 4 (either 9/13 or 9/14).
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Although many other inventions, such as the printing press, were instrumental in starting the Renaissance, the development of vernacular literature was the most important and valuable development because it resulted in a new era of education for the masses.
ReplyDeleteBefore the development of vernacular literature, documents were written in Latin instead of spoken dialects such as English or French. The nobility and clerics were literate, since they were the only ones who received an education in Latin, and where the only ones who could question the Bible and other documents. However, the masses of people relied mainly on an oral culture or what the clergy told them and remained agriculturalists.
The development of vernacular literature in the 14th century resulted new ideas, such as secularism (questioning the Church) and feminism, being spread that the "common people" could read and understand. Because of the increase in nationalism, people began to write books in their own language. Authors that wrote in their own language included Christine de Pisan, Villon, Dante, and Chaucer. Dante's Inferno described contemporary and historical figures, and commented on secularism. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales told stories of religious pilgrims and the social lives of the English. Both stories illustrate the idea that the afterlife is important, but one should enjoy the worldly life. Another author, Christine de Pisan, wrote biographies to support her family. Her literature (Against Those Men Who Claim It Is Not Good for Women to be Educated) spread the idea of feminism, and she is considered one of the first feminists. These books spread other points of view beside those spread by noblemen and the Church for laypeople to learn about.
Vernacular literature also increased literacy of the middle-class to lower-class people. Schools quadrupled in England as people began to learn how to read (although fewer learned how to write). These people began to serve higher-level jobs, such as managers or government positions. Jobs in trade and commerce began to become more complex as a result of the society becoming more sophisticated due to the increase in literacy. Vernacular reading and writing allowed the common people to grow into other roles, which began the breakdown of the feudal system. People could finally pursue other professions beside farming.
Others may argue that the invention of the printing press by Johann Gutenberg (1454) was more important because it also greatly increased literacy because books were cheaper, easily spread, and more easily made. However, the development of vernacular literature allowed this invention to change the European world as much as it did; otherwise, many books would be distributed but common people would not be able to read them because they would be in Latin. Without vernacular literacy, the printing press would have made the education system even more divided; noblemen would have more books to read in Latin (and more education and ideas) but the poor would still be dependent on the clergy for their educations. Vernacular literacy allowed people to write and spread ideas in their own language for those around them to learn and form their own identities, and began to break down the medieval feudal system based in inequality to one of freer opportunities.
Good job! I agree with a lot of what you're saying here. I still think electricity made more of an impact on the world as a whole, but I see your points. Especially when it comes to the spread of feminism and humanism. Without vernacular literature, minority groups such as women could still be under heavy oppression as they were in the Renaissance; the church could still have intense power of Europe.
DeleteI agree that vernacular literature is important. However, even if the printing press only printed in Latin people would have learned how to read Latin eventually. As well the printing press is the only reason people had access to vernacular literature. It does not matter if you write something if no one has access to it. The printing press gives everyone cheap access to books.
DeleteA very strong argument. However, I am with Stephen here, although vernacular literature was very important, I still think the printing press wins this battle. I believe even if in the beginning all books were in Latin, eventually, people would being to print books in their own languages, thus in a way bypassing vernacular literature.
DeleteNice done! I agree that vernacular literature is really important and it spread famous works in different everyday languages. More people are literate. However, I think printing press deepened the importance of vernacular literacy which is more important. Because like you said, even common people can read more books because the books are written in their own language, but if they are middle or lower class they would not be able to get lots of books to read because the hand written books are so expensive. They maybe rather spend money on buying food and clothes than buying books. The printing press helped people to access books easier because the books become cheaper:)
DeleteThe Printing Press was an important invention. It increased the rate of literacy and spread ideas and religions across Europe, as well giving people opportunity to think for themselves. But I believe there are more important inventions in the world. Such as electricity.
ReplyDeleteElectricity affects almost every other invention made after it's own discovery. First, obviously electricity gives light. Previously people couldn't do much at night without lighting a fire or candles which I'm sure were expensive and dangerous and not as effecient. But with electricity, mankind could almost 'cheat' the sun, and keep their lives going and moving after sunset. This also led to better heating systems. Electricity is used for so much technology we use today, like computers. Computers help simplify everyday tasks. Computers enable us to see what's going on across the world, to comment and share or publish our own thoughts, ideas or art. Computers help make the world seem smaller. This is going to severely change the course of history, as the decades move forward and people become more connected. All this is due to electricity. With electricity, we can save lives with an AED. We can revive someone's heart back to life. A Printing Press cannot do that. Also, computers help share literature in their own way, and make it available to the public. We can go online and read anything we could possibly want.
Electricity provides transportation in cars, street lights, medical instruments, etc. It powers us in almost everything we do and plays a vital role in society.
While the printing press is immensely important to our culture and literature, I think that without electricity humans would be put at a severe setback in technological advantages.
I really like the idea, but I wouldn't call electricity an invention because it been around for longer than humans. It is more of a natural resource that we have used to power other invention. The invention of electricity powering light bulbs is like the invention of wind pushing sailboats. I definitely agree with your argument, but it isn't a fair comparison. Any invention will seem negligent when compared to something like electricity.
DeleteGoing with what Kieran said electricity is a discovery not an invention. As well even if it was an invention then it is only an accessory. Ancient civilizations were happy, prosperous, and very well connected without needing electricity. Now we are very dependent on electricity but for it's time the printing press was much more important.
DeleteGood job! Although I think that the advents of the printing press and vernacular literature set humanity on the path to discovering/inventing electricity (by allowing common people to learn and question their surroundings), I agree with most of your points. I liked the examples such as the AED and the computers. To respond to Stephen's comment, yes, ancient peoples survived without electricity, but electricity/computers made such connections faster, easier, and cheaper.
DeleteAidan Turek
DeleteI agree in that electricity is fundamental to our modern infrastructure, and without it our ability to do most anything is seriously hindered. In truth there is no (known) better way to power even the most basic of objects. To say that electricity isn't in at least the 'top ten' of inventions is foolish. However, as electricity powers the computer I am writing this on (I hope it doesn't turn off just to spite me), it leaves us extremely reliant on a single way to do things, and this reliance is dangerous, but necessary.
I agree with you that electricity is a significant "discovery" in humankind. However, I want to say if you are illiterate how you learn to play computers, how you invent light bulb, how you study AED? In contrast, the printing press help us to solve the problem of illiteracy. More people are able to read and read in different areas like medical books, scientific books, history books...
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe printing press was and is the most important invention. It created a surplus of books so that everyone could afford them, not just the wealthy families. Without books Ideas would only be communicated from one person to another, which is inefficient. When you have to pass information from one person to another it becomes a big game of telephone, and if you start out with “fire is hot” after a few people you might get something like “tires are lost”. Books stay the same, so if one person in Florence, and another in Rome read the same book, they would have gotten the same information. Once information could communicate information through books, others could build on that information and learn from other peoples mistakes.
ReplyDeleteBefore the printing press being an author seemed like a useless task because your stories, poems, and ideas couldn't be shared efficiently, but after the printing press, writing books was a worthwhile task because lots of people could read your thoughts and ideas! This led to more poets, authors, and philosophers writing books, and making some of the most advanced literature of their time. Over all society wouldn't be the same without the printing press.
That's really great. I like how you talked about the funny spreading of "fire is hot" thing. It's an interesting way to look at how having the press is a good thing. Although I wouldn't agree with the author thing because people like Homer and writings still from the ancient egyptians still exist today and are well known, but I see your point. All in all, good job!
DeleteCool thoughts! I hadn't thought that without books there would be a telephone game! It was interesting how you brought up the idea that authors could now get their name heard. I wonder how the scribes would feel now that they had a machine doing their job? Nice work!
DeleteI agree with you! Your telephone game is something that never would've crossed my mind, but it's a very interesting to think about! For all we know, information indeed could've been jumbled up like that right and left! I disagree with you though when you said that being an author or writer of some sort would be useless, because people of the ancient civilizations used oral traditions to preserve stories, poems, etc. and (as Molly said) some of them are still around today! Great job though! :)
DeleteThe Printing Press is the most important invention of mankind. The printing press is very important because it allows everything to circulate. The printing press allows people to become more literate and allows them to have access to books much more easily. The printing press makes ideas circulate much more quickly and allows people to make their own opinions about this idea, unlike before where they would have to listen to someone else’s ideas. This is true for all ideas including religion. People now can read the bible for themselves and can think about the book anyway they want. This leads to secularism and allows people to think more freely. As well it allows other things like freedom to circulate. If you live somewhere there is a dictatorship and you read about a republic, you probably will want to start a republic where you are too. As well the books hold more people accountable, because you cannot make up a story. Someone else there can write their own story and print it. This is seen between Bartolommeo de Las Casas and Christopher Columbus. This prevents Christopher from saying he was amazing and great to the natives simply because Bartolommeo can print a book of his own that says the truth. Vernacular literature is important but without the printing press there is no way it can travel and limited people will have access to the book. Electricity was not invented until later on and is very important. However, there were very many prosperous, well educated, and enjoyable societies well before electricity such as the Romans, the Greeks, and the Persians. The printing press enables technology to be shared, ideas to circulate, and it holds people accountable. That is why it is the most important invention ever.
ReplyDeleteI like your first idea but I'd go into more detail about how the press can make people more literate and how people could gain access to books more easily. And the dictatorship point it amazing I never would have thought of that so good job on that one. Very well written, good job!
DeleteI totally agree with you. Like you said LITERACY and SPREAD OF IDEAS are 2 big points. because of the printing press, people can have their own thoughts rather than listen everything from church. This also lead to church reformation and changes in world structures.
DeleteMolly Feher
ReplyDeleteBlock: G
9/11/13
Even a simple seeming invention in the 1440’s can revolutionize technology of the modern world. One knows that the Gutenberg printing press is the most important invention of mankind because it’s invention is still an important part of today.
When it was actually invented, Gutenberg’s genius sparked the secularism that took the renaissance by storm and could have even jumpstarted the dividing of the catholic church because the bible was able to be spread around to people who couldn’t afford the expensive handwritten copies. People could now read the bible on their own and decide what they believe about how to practice Catholicism in their own ways instead of just conforming to the church’s overbearing and strict ways. Other than the bible, the press also made it possible for people to have writings by Machiavelli, Dante, Hus, Chaucer, and any other renaissance writer. The press helped the education of people all around which was good because having an educated society is beneficial to having a successful princedom/republic. The government or whatever form of leadership was present spread the word instead of having horsemen ride around the towns spreading the news. The press also created more equality between the classes because now not only could the rich have many books but also the middle class and even lower class could be educated (from reading).
Not only in the renaissance did the printing press have an effect, in the modern world we use the main ideas of the printing press. Spreading information faster with the Internet and even books like dictionaries, biographies, encyclopedias, etc. wouldn’t be possible without the ideas of the press. The printing press was the jumpstart of all technologies of today.
At the time Gutenberg might have thought that his invention was great, but what he never knew is how that one invention shaped the rest of the world, as we know it.
We had a lot of the same ideas!! I agree with everything you said! A great point that you had is that handwritten copies were more expensive and so now that the printing press was created, it enabled the poor to read texts such as the bible!
DeleteI had also written a very similar point about how the printing press really started all of the inventions such as the internet, dictionaries etc! Great insight, very good ideas! I am glad to see that you feel the same way that I do.
I found your point about the printing press "jumpstarting the divide of the Catholic Church" very intriguing. I've honestly never thought about that, and I think it's something interesting to think about. I definitely agree with all the points you made, as I hit many of the same ones myself! Yeah, I bet Gutenberg didn't know that his printing press would influence the modern world so much and mold it to be what it is now! Great job! :)
DeleteI couldn't agree more with your statement on how the printing press was "jumpstart" to all of the technology that we use today. I liked how you related the printing press with vernacular literature and the bible. it showed both an increase in a more artistic writing. It also showed an increase of people gaining more knowledge about their religion because people were finally able to read the bible in their own language. You did an amazing job!!
DeleteI totally agree with what you have to say about the printing press being the most important invention. We both talked about very similar points like how the printing press was essential for making the internet possible. Also,I loved how you said " jump start to the dividing of the Catholic Church" because that is an excellent point and very clear description. Great job! :)
DeleteGutenberg’s printing press is to this date, the most important invention of mankind. I believe this for many reasons. It enabled more people to become literate and provided a surplus of books that everyone could afford! People were now able to spread the word about good things happening in their society, such as a republic forming, and other societies would be able to read about the republic and possibly form one in their society. With this, comes the freedom of forming your own opinion about a topic. People can now agree and disagree, and have their own beliefs about topics such as religion. People were now able to read the bible and form their own opinions on what they believe in, which lead to secularism. False stories and news could now be proved wrong, and education was advanced to a whole new level! Without the printing press, we would know much less about our history; not as much would be documented and preserved for modern day historians to pass on. The printing press also created equality because everyone, no matter how poor, was now able to become literate. The printing press allowed news to get out, and educated people about what was going on around them.
ReplyDeleteNot only was the printing press helpful in the Renaissance era, but the invention plays a role in what us modern day people do everyday. Without Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press, who knows if we would have the internet, news papers, dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc? The idea of spreading the word in masses was a brilliant idea that over the years people keep coming up with ideas to make more efficient. The printing press was what started all of these ideas about spreading the word! The printing press made our lives a whole lot easier!
Nice Work! Its funny to think what would happen without the printing press! I agree that you could prove stories and news false, but wasn't it true that the printing press was used to create false stories as well (propaganda). The printing press sure made our lives easier!
DeleteThis is awesome! I love your point on how it increased the literacy rate. I also love your point on how people were able to have freedom of speech through books and such. I honestly didn't think of that! Overall you did a great job at backing up your belief.
DeleteGreat work, Milla! You bring up many intriguing ideas in this paragraph. I love your idea that the Gutenberg printing press acted as the catalyst for many future inventions and that people continued to make the "idea of spreading the word in masses" more efficient as time progressed. Your point about "false stories and news" is also very thought-provoking, seeing that we often come across much false information or opinion feigning as news on the internet nowadays!
DeleteAlthough the printing press was a revolutionary idea that improved the world drastically, I have to argue that electricity, or specifically, the utilization of it, is by far the most important invention of all time. Placing block after block after block of letters for hundreds of pages at a time must have been an enormous and timely hassle. Because of electricity, we can literally print anything we want in the blink of an eye with simply a click of a button.
ReplyDeleteThe cell phone allows us to communicate perfectly with someone hundreds of miles away, and it’s only possible because of electricity. The cell phone runs on an electric charge, and cell phone towers, which transmit the signal between the cell phone and cell phone network, can also only function because of electricity. Computers are the same way. Not only do they require an electric charge, but the entire internet itself is dependent on electricity.
Electricity equals light. Even when it’s pitch black outside, people can still see perfectly because of lights. Candles and gas lamps are too dim, and they’re also huge fire hazards. In order to have a high-functioning society, one must be able to see clearly at all times of the day. Electricity also regulates temperatures. Air conditioning during the summer and heat during the winter are so vitally important.
Hospitals could not function without electricity. Life-saving surgeries, life-support systems which sustain heart and lung functions, the monitors, etc. are all dependent on electricity. Scientists couldn’t do ground-breaking research without electricity’s aid. Meteorologists couldn’t predict weather and more importantly, natural disasters. Television wouldn’t exist either. There are infinite reasons as to why electricity is important, and these are only a few.
Think about what happens during a blackout: There are no traffic signals making driving very difficult; cars can’t even pump gas without electricity. Airplanes can’t fly, cell phones don’t work, businesses and restaurants shut down. Schools are closed. All the food in refrigerators and freezers need to be thrown out because they aren’t healthy or good unless they have the electricity they need to keep them cool. Life as we know it is basically impossible without electricity in the long run. Although there are so many great and ground-breaking inventions out there, a lot of them wouldn’t be possible without the amazing thing that is electricity. ¬
Great point! The printing press is definitely useful, but it only brings knowledge and without electricity, the basics of life become affected. My argument, the Internet, could not exist without electricity either. Electricity has made our lives so much easier and impacts us so much we take it for granted. Even now, I'm using a computer to share thoughts and lights because I didn't do this earlier. Since I live so far from ljcds, driving in the dark doesn't sound like the best idea. Strong argument, and I agree.
DeleteElectricity (or the utilization of it) is unquestionably something we all rely on A LOT. I agree with you - it is an important invention, however I still believe that the printing press was more important.
DeleteJust the thought of living in a world that didn't utilize electricity makes me scared, and I now value it so much more! Great job! :)
Aidan Turek
ReplyDeleteThe printing press is one of the most influential inventions, which has undeniably shaped the course of history. However, this invention is not THE most influential invention, in my opinion. I believe that designation belongs not to a physical machine, but to an idea. Rule by consent was the driving force behind thousands of years of human development, and has driven the course of mankind throughout its history. It is a fundamental element in the human psyche, and more than anything else has driven mankind to invent, conquer, and think. The first recorded democratic state was ancient Athens, around the end of the 6th century. At the time the right to decide government policy was provided to only the wealthy landowning elite. However humble and exclusive beginning, its influence on our modern day is apparent. This idea, the concept of shaping your life and the lives of those around you is part of what separates us from animals, and there is no other single idea that drives the life of man. The undeniable truth is that the will to create and invent, to contribute to greater society, is done only with the sincerest conviction that your participation is met by equal representation. The foundation of the modern world, filled with so many inventions of increasingly amazing abilities is constructed wholly on the idea of giving and receiving, this basic principle of representation. This is the underlying clause of the hypothetical social contract, that we should get a say in what we do. This idea qualifies as an invention because, although it has undergone a serious evolution from the wealthy white male to every citizen, it is still an invention. It started, was suppressed, re-emerged with new additions, was suppressed, re-merged, so on, until you have the fathers of the United States' constitution, which is arguable the framework for the modern human being, and yet again the basic, inherent, and fundamental element of the modern world of mutual respect and equal representation. The principle behind this modern democracy is that of the ancient Athenians, modified,, but still the basic idea of government by consent.
Wow, that was amazing honestly did not think of the human mind or idea as an invention. I loved the line "is done only with the sincerest conviction that your participation is met by equal representation." Well done blew my mind.
DeleteCameron Wirtz
ReplyDeleteAlthough one could argue that Gutenberg’s Printing Press was the most important technological invention known to mankind, such an argument ignores mankind’s best spiritual or conceptual invention. Through religious doctrines, a belief system for moral and ethical way raised humanity from animalist instincts to moral and ethical reasoning. The invention of religion provided civilization throughout history with order, power, explanations of the unknown, hope, education, and a moral compass.
Religion offers an escape from life through prayer, rituals, dancing, music, praising, and communication with a superior spiritual being who provides solace and relief form the hardships of life. Religion gives order because it teaches the followers ethics and the concept of good and bad. Some examples of this are the 10 commandments and the Torah. This spiritual invention also created the beginnings of many government structures. We see this with many religious leaders forcing government officials to do what the religion needs most, so that god will not punish the people. Religion also gives people an explanation to the unknown. It tells us why we are here, why the sun comes up, why bad things happen, and provides justification for a conscience. As religion developed it was also the foundation for many schools and other forms of education. Practically every institution of higher education has its birth with a tie to religion. In most cultures religion was the springboard for art. The Roman Catholic Church probably has one of the greatest collections of art that the world has ever known. They sponsored Michael Angelo in painting the Sistine Chapel. Religion also has been used as justification for expansion of power over other peoples. For example, there were the Christian Crusades, the Muslim Empire, and the colonization of the Native Americans. Overall, religion is the best conceptual or spiritual invention known to mankind.
Good work, Cameron. Religion is undoubtedly something that has provided hope and unity throughout history. However, I think using religion as a justification for expansion wasn't necessarily a good thing. After all, wars over religion tend result in many deaths, because both sides have a reason to fight. The two opposing sides would believe that they have to defend their god, giving them motivation to work as hard as possible to win.
DeleteGreat point there Cameron, Religion could definitely be counted as an awesome invention. Although as Ryan pointed out - not such a great one; as it caused many more conflicts than it resolved. However it was a great significance in uniting people with social structures when they had no order at all. It is a difficult point to argue as it has so many Good and bad sides to it which really is up to how you view history as to which one is more significant to you, but you i think you had a very good argument.
DeleteYou make a lot of good points about how the church unified people, and gave them an ethical system and education! The problem with religion is a lot of people take the ideas too far, for example in the middle east where women's rights are virtually nonexistent. It is almost like taking the easy way out, instead of looking into the idea of what created the earth, people decide that one big powerful super-being made the whole earth in 6 days. Religion also has been a way people separate each other and the Jews have been scapegoated on several occasions. overall very thorough analysis, great job!
DeleteBruno Dotson
DeleteYou make a really good argument on why religious doctrines are humankind's greatest invention. I totally agree with about church giving people a a doctrine on how to behave. I also agree with you about art. Good job
Wow, I never really thought of religion as an invention, but you're right, it is really important. Maybe not the most important invention ever (I still think electricity is), but it's crucial in almost every society. A reason for the unknown is extremely comforting, and most religions do promote good morals and ethics. However, religion can also be a negative thing. Hitler killed millions of Jews just because of their faith, and today is the anniversary of 9/11 which only happened because of Muslim extremeists. Even though they were extremeists and most Muslims are great people, the cause for 9/11 was in fact religion. There were so many battles fought and lives lost because of different religions, that sometimes it's hard to view religion as a really positive idea or invention. But the overall idea of religion- an answer for the unknown, morals you should have, etc. is pretty amazing. Afterall, religion has a huge impact of almost every aspect of history and even life as we know it in general.
ReplyDelete*extremists, sorry
DeleteIt's difficult to compare the printing press, something physical, with religion, which is like you said, spiritual. Although you make a very good point because people turn to their religion and faith to show them what to do, I wouldn't consider religion as the most important invention. Many people do not even have a religion, and are perfectly at peace with this. The printing press can be used by anyone, no matter what religion, ethnicity, or age. Great argument though and good job thinking outside the box.
DeleteA reason someone would argue for the printing press being the best invention is that it allowed information to be more accessible, but all sources of media do the same. The radio, for example, informed the public of local news, baseball scores, music, and other general entertainment. The television also did the same, but gave them a visual. A more recent invention, the Internet, provides all these things and more. Although the Internet may originate from the printing press, this does not make the printing press better. (Is a Razor better than an iPhone?) Now, many resources have been gathered and are able to be found from one single origin. People can now not only gain knowledge the second they have a question, but are able to stay in contact and communicate with others worldwide. They can also store what they need such as documents or pictures there and be able to access it from any location with connection. The printing press started the possibilities of the common people easily getting knowledge, but it caused an evolution that is even better.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you acknowledged that the Internet originated from the printing press. Yes, just because it came first doesn't necessarily make it better; however many things wouldn't be the same (or wouldn't exist) if not for the printing press! Plus, it did improve so many things back in the 1400s (when it was considered "modern") too! Nonetheless, I found your standpoint very interesting! Great job! :)
DeleteAshley! Great post about why you disagree in regards to the printing press being the most important invention of all time. You show mature critical thinking by acknowledging the fact that while the printing press lit the torch of individuality and secularism, modern technology now carries it. Really impressive, great job! :D
DeleteI believe that the invention of the wheel was really what started transportation in general. Without the wheel we would not have cars, trains, planes or anything else to goes from point A to point B, using a wheel. It is proven that any other shape besides the wheel would take longer and use more gas if it were a car. Without the wheel we wouldnt have the bicycle which we use for grant it everyday. The wheel influences many other inventions that helped shaped the world and changed cultures and how people live forever. The wheel first helped people carry heavy loads, instead of them having to carry it and take longer to travel. Without the wheel or inventions that came after the wheel, we wouldn't have been able to transport every day pieces of information. Some might argue that the printing press is the most influential, yet how does one transport those books or information to other places? Even though the printing press changed many things, it would not have been able to travel without the wheel or inventions that came after, using the wheel. Many people don't realize that without the wheel, it would have taken us so much longer to move or migrate from different places, causing no diversity in humans and to not discover new lands. The wheel saved so much time from traveling even if you use a wagon and are walking on feet. Easier to walk without carrying your belongings with you when you are moving from place to place, right? The wheel also gave rise into a new industry later one, once the car was invented, because you could make money off the tires you were selling to those car companies or any company that needed tires or rims. I believe that the wheel is the most important because it made transportation faster and caused revolutions to happen because of its ability to transport information.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points, Sebastian! I couldn't agree more. I like how you said that the printing press was influential, but those books and papers needed to be transported from place to place. They couldn't be transported as quickly or as efficiently if it wasn't for the wheel. I also like how you said the wheel gave rise to a new industry later on. However, I believe the wheel is used for important things other than transportation (factories, sports, etc.). Great work!
DeleteI enjoy your topic of choice (also my point of view on this subject. I agree with most all of what you said. I also liked how you mentioned the influence the wheel had on revolutions. Imagine, bikes with square wheels....
DeleteThere have been many revolutionary and important inventions that have changed the lives of everyday people. Among these revolutionary inventions are the printing press, the wheel, religion, vernacular literature, writing, and many more. I believe the wheel is the most important invention because it helped improve farming techniques, made traveling much easier, made trade much easier, and helped get the post-wheel invention ages “rolling”.
ReplyDeleteThe first wheels were discovered in what was Mesopotamia and are believed to be over 5,000 years old. Wheels were put on wagons pulled by horses or other domesticated animals. The wagons carried goods from place to place and made trade much easier. The wheel can be found on common uses of transportation such as automobiles, trains, bicycles, airplanes, boats, helicopters, motorbikes, tractors, skateboards, scooters, and rollerblades. The wheel revolutionized the way people travel. It’s made traveling easier, smarter, and faster. The wheel was a stepping stone invention, inspiring later inventions such as the motor and the propeller.
The wheel is not only used for transport, it is also used in factories, in sports, in war, in hospitals, and on the farm. In many factories, wheels are used as gears to move conveyer belts in assembly lines. The wheel is used quite a bit in athletic activities. It’s used as a discus, frisbee, hockey puck, etc. In wars, a long time ago, The wheel was used as a shield for battle. Wheels were also installed on the bottom of most cannons on ships. In hospitals, wheels can be found on centrifuges, hospital beds, and wheelchairs, making it easier on handicapped or injured people. Wheels are all over on the farm. Wheels are found on tractors, on lawnmowers, on wagons, on wheelbarrows, and on plows. The wheel has changed the lives of everyday people and is the most important invention, thus far in history.
Thanks to the efforts of Johann Gutenberg, we now have what I consider to be the most important invention of mankind: the printing press. Centuries before Gutenberg, the Chinese had figured out a way to print characters and pictures on to paper by carving them into wooden blocks, inking them, then transferring the inked character or picture to paper. Later, in the mid-1400s, Gutenberg created a machine that enabled moveable type by carving mirror images of every letter on to a small block. This method (with easy, moveable letters) was definitely more efficient, as well as much cheaper and quicker. With this invention, printing a book wasn’t a luxury that was exclusive to the rich, nobles or clergymen, but was now available to the poor masses as well. This resulted in higher literacy and education rates, which in turn resulted in a much stronger economy. Printed books permitted quick dissemination of information and ideas, ergo a mass production of books were printed. For example, vernacular literature became very prevalent because of the printing press. Also, the printing press let books of a “secular nature” become popular. The quick and accurate spread of information and ideas allowed for progress to happen much faster.
ReplyDeleteI will even go so far as to say that the very world we live in today would be extraordinarily different if not for the printing press! All the modern wonders that we enjoy today would not be the same without it; as it practically spurred technological advancements. The very keys that I am using to type with, or our AP Euro textbooks wouldn’t be here today if not for Gutenberg’s printing press!
Beautifully crafted. The addition of how the actual printing press was constructed was a nice touch, as a more visual component. As well as the fact that our class subsequently would not exist! Though I did not write that the printing press was the most important invention, it goes without saying that life as we know it would be drastically different from present day culture without it.
DeleteI think that the printing press was by far the greatest invention. Some people might say that the internet is the greatest invention. But I believe that the internet stemmed from the printing press. Even some electronic devices are stemmed from the printing press. So many things have been made from the printing press.
ReplyDeleteOne being books, books are in our daily life. Whether it being for school or reading just for fun, books are everywhere. Yes, people also use tablets but think, the tablet evolved from a book. So if the printing press wasn't made there is a high possibility that the tablet wouldn't have been made either. Still, most schools still use actual physical copies of books and textbooks. There are also still some people, who like reading, still use the physical copy.
Also the newspaper started with the printing press. When there weren't any cell phones to text friends saying what's happening in africa or just to look online to the newspaper's website, people would deliver the newspaper. Without the idea of making a surplus of newspapers and having them passed out, there would be no website to go to to check the news.
The printing press gave the idea of wanting many people to learn new things or read what people had to say. The internet was formed by that, only it's a digital version. But without the printing press there wouldn't be all the online books and websites to find information.
The printing press is superior to electricity also. It is not as fragile as electricity. If there is a blackout, in our technologically advanced country/world, there is really nothing to do. But a book wouldn’t be affected at all. You could just whip out a flashlight and start reading.
Ryan Tran
ReplyDeleteBlock A
I think that the most important invention isn’t the printing press, but the Internet. Though both contributed immensely to communication and the spread of ideas and technology, the Internet surpasses the printing press.
The printing press decreased the cost of books, allowing the masses to buy them and learn to read. It also allowed for the ideas of Renaissance writers to spread quickly. It wouldn’t be too far of a stretch to say that the printing press was the fuel for the spark of ideas that began the Renaissance. The printing press is undoubtedly one of the greatest inventions of all time. However, the Internet not only allows for the spread of ideas, but it can do it all within seconds. With the Internet, a person can talk with another person on the other side of the globe as if they were right next to each other. Almost any kind of information can be found instantaneously with 21st century search engines such as Google.
In addition to communication, the Internet also revolutionized the economy. It made it possible for money to be transferred securely and quickly with little effort required. The printing press allowed books to be copied with less effort than before, but with the Internet, one can purchase almost any book. Using the Internet, you don’t have to go find the book physically. Books can be found and purchased much more easily on the Internet than a physical copy.
Like many recent inventions, the Internet could not have been created without previous technological advancements. You could say the Internet would not have existed if it weren’t for the printing press. However, you could also say the printing press could not have been invented if not for the plow, or some other farm tool. Without those, Gutenberg might not have even survived long enough to create his invention. I don’t think it matters that the Internet couldn’t have existed without the printing press. The title of “Greatest Invention” should go to the invention that had the greatest overall impact on the world and shouldn’t be affected by the order of invention.
In the end, I believe the Internet surpasses the printing press. It connects the entire world and is a greater help to education than the printing press. After all, without the Internet, this assignment wouldn’t be possible.
I think there were many great inventions over time which were absolute necessities to the further growth as humans in various ways. As the Plow and the wheel were essential for the growth into the Agricultural stage - were population boomed and we were able to have more time for further growth in other areas, as food was now a ready supply to us, and expansion and travel was now available. Although going from what i have read others in this disscussion say, i do not believe the Printing press was the greatest invention of them all.Although I do believe that it was an essential step towards what i believe is the greatest invention - the telegram. The Telegram allowed us to readily communicate with people around the world, whenever we liked and was an instantaneous thing! For the first time in history, countries were able to coordinate and communicate with each other without having to rely on messengers and boats merchants take your message across the seas - not knowing if that message will ever really reach its destination, or if you could fully rely on the messenger to either read the message or give it to the intended receiver .
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the printing press is the most important invention in the history of mankind. The printing press sparked numerous changes in Renaissance Europe. The first, and perhaps the most important, was that the printing press allowed for Europeans to have relatively easy access to their OWN Bibles for the first time. Instead of being completely dependent on the oral tradition and the opinions and beliefs of their local Church officals, Europeans for the first time were able to formulate their own religious beliefs. Undoubtedly, this sparked the birth of European secularism. Additionally, the printing press can be seen as a symbolic prototype for inventions listed above, such as computers and the internet. The internet is really a virtual printing press, spewing out journal articles and news streams just as the printing press of old did. The printing press allowed for a more educated public, and with a more educated public came a more intellectual public. Additionally, there were benefits for governments as well. Governments could now effectively spread propaganda through the printing press. The formation of political factions can also be traced back to the printing press, as different reading material regarding various political ideals passed from hand-to hand.
ReplyDeleteFinally, I would like to present a final piece of logic. There is the common conception that books, when used as learning tools, increase the knowledge of the reader. Thus, as more and more books are read by more and more people, the level of global wisdom theoretically increases. Without books, which were mass produced by printing presses, the exponential curve of the world's intelligence would not exist; culture would stagnate. A stalled intelligence level would NOT allow for the creation of more complex ideas, such as the internet and other technological adaptations. I have based my decision to name the printing press as the most influential invention in the world's history based on the evidence supplied above.
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DeleteGreat point about how the Printing Press allowed people to create their own interpretations of religion, rather then just relying on what the Church told them. I also liked how you added at the end a reason why you think the Printing Press (and books in general) are better than the Internet, rather than just proving your point by stating the pros that came from the creation of the Printing Press.
DeleteSuzy Zhu
ReplyDeleteG Block
09/13/13
From reading so many classmates' thoughts, really give me an inspiration of all human inventions. Every invention has its own significance for us. In my opinion, undoubtedly the printing press is the most important invention until now.
In fifteenth century, Gutenberg invented the printing press which changed our lives significantly. Think about the society at that time: After the Dark Age, Renaissance came into people's life really quickly. People were only able to get information and news from church, and they didn't even know if the information is right or not. Bible was so expensive and most people could not afford it. The priests would read and translate the bible for them from Latin, but the problem is the translation may not be correct or correspond with the bible due to people have different thought and understanding. The printing press spread bible widely, and more and more people can read bible by their own which help people for a better understanding of Christianity.
As the same function, more and more famous works and books were printed out for people to read. Cheaper books help to improve illiteracy and increase the number of well-educated people.
Before the printing press was invented, people always spread stories, news, poems, histories... by oral speaking. As you know that information would be changed from one person to another. At last no one really knows who said it and what is it talking about originally. After the printing press is invented, people know who is the author and can read the content of the books correctly. Everyone who read the same book know the same thing because the books are the same.
Another point I want to say is the printing press also helped the spread of Renaissance from transmitting different new ideas like republic, humanism, secularism, church reforms... People start to have their own thoughts and own perspectives rather than only know what church says. I think this causes a rebirth in humankind: People start to have their own SOUL. People start to more focus on everyday life, individual achievements and exploration of new things instead of going to church is the most important thing to do.
During the 1400's German, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press with movable type. Printing presses increased the speed in which book copies could be made, and thus led to widespread individualized knowledge for the first time in history. Among other things, the printing press allowed access to the Bible for the common folk. This in which led to alternative interpretations and controversy for the years to come.Though the printing press clearly changed the course of history and indeed the world, it would not be here without the assistance of the wheel.
ReplyDeleteBefore the invention of the wheel in 3500 B.C., humans were severely limited in how much stuff they could transport over land, and how far. Wheeled carts assisted agriculture and commerce by enabling the transportation of goods to and from markets, as well as easing the burdens of people traveling great distances. Now, wheels are vital to our way of life, found in everything from clocks to vehicles to turbines. And simply enough, the making of books.
The widespread availability of books wouldn't exist if the wheel had not been invented, because in modern day, they print books on rollers. This then gives the ability to print more, thus making them more widespread. Not only does the wheel affect the making of books but also the transport of those influential books, that subsequently changed the world.
In total, I believe the printing press is one of the most important and influential inventions of the world. Yet, without the simple idea, and invention of the wheel, life as we know it would not be imaginable
The printing press has made an undeniable impact on the world,and that is why I believe it is the most important invention. First, the printing press enabled the common people to have books in their own home. This helped educate more people, so the amount of people able to read increased immensely. However, if someone was illiterate, people could read prints to them which helped lessen the gap between written and oral cultures. The printing press also allowed ideas to be spread more easily through Europe because books were being published and printed. Without the printing press many books including " The Prince " by Machiavelli would only be one tiny manuscript instead of a very influential and insightful book with numerous copies . Also, the printing press let people have their own bible. This made it possible for people to formulate their own opinions and ideas about the bible which might be different than what they were taught in sermons. This directly lead to secularism which means questioning everything including the church. The idea of questioning the church is a common theme throughout the renaissance . However, not only did the printing press effect the life's of the people, it also changed how the government worked. The government started to use print to declare war, record battles, and write treaties. Also, the printing press helped make propaganda possible and much easier, this would help the government numerous times to help them gain the advantage in war or something else. Today, we still use a type of printing press to print books, and it is still a very important part of our world. the internet would not have the resources it has without the creation of the printing press because the internet is full of books that were initially printed. In total, I believe that the printing press has made a significant impression on the world and the people in it.
ReplyDeleteThere have been many great inventions created by mankind in order to make life easier, whether it is for communication, transportation, entertainment, or anything else. However, despite all great inventions that advanced civilizations for centuries, I believe that it is the Internet that has created more advances for humans than any other invention in history.
ReplyDeleteOne reason I think the Internet is so great is because it enhances and/or merges previous great inventions. For example, the Printing Press was used to create mass copies of works of writing, whereas before each copy had to be handwritten. The Internet is able to hold billions of files, making it possible for all works of writing to be posted and read by anyone with Internet access, which means people, will be able to garner information that may have previously not been available to them. Not only do people necessarily have to go search for a book, but simply having the writing in a digital form means that it will be unnecessary to create multiple copies of it, saving lots of paper for other uses.
The Internet is not just a better substitute for the printing press and paper, but it is able to do so many more things that make the printing press now look completely worthless. The Internet provides media in forms of video, music, and gaming in addition to the entire Internet being able to function as an encyclopedia. Various search engines on the Internet are able to provide the answer to almost anything, and people are able to communicate with each other via e-mail and social media sites. Many services and devices rely on the Internet today in order to function, as many key components would be disabled without Internet service, making it ever more important to be able to have Internet access.
Even though the Internet allows people to use it for many amazing things, there are unfortunately some people in the world who use it for evil. Terrorist organizations communicate through the Internet with much ease, and plan horrible attacks on innocent people. Many cult groups and hate groups have also been formed on the Internet, creating mischief and an unsafe environment for certain users. However, many organizations, including the government, are able to combat problems like terrorism through the Internet and prevent attacks as well. In fact, the Internet was first used by the U.S. government in the 1960’s, before it was made available to the public in the 1990’s.
I think the Internet is the greatest invention ever because it combines the use of multiple inventions, like the Printing Press. It also gives people access to multiple forms of media, while it is also can be used as a huge database, chocked full of information. It is needed for many devices to properly function. Despite it being used for evil by some, it can be combated by the good as well. Overall, I see the Internet as an amazing creation that due to its technological superiority makes the Printing Press obsolete. Although the Printing Press was perhaps the greatest invention by mankind for hundreds of years, I think the Internet has indeed succeeded it.
I completely agree. I like how you touched on the some of the cons of the internet also. The Internet has completely changed world we live in and you stated it beautifully.
DeleteThanks Ryan!
DeleteBruno Dotson
ReplyDeleteA block
At this moment the printing press might not be considered to be the most important invention of mankind, because of the Internet. With it everyone can get information almost free of charge, and we think everybody has the same privilege. But that is merely an assumption, a big percentage of people are not able to connect to the Internet, and still rely on newspapers, and books to stay up to date with us. This is why I believe that the printing press is the most important invention
Thought history this invention helped the spread of ideas; which lead to an increase in humanism. People were now able to think for themselves, and not only act for the good of the church. With both vernacular writing and the printing press literacy rates were at an all time high in Europe, because texts were less expensive and there were several copies available. It also sped up the development of books; once a book was written several copies could be made and sold very rapidly, and without having monks writing the copies, while choosing what could be published and what could not be published. With this the church started to loose power, because heretics ideas could be hidden from them in a book, and transported elsewhere to be shared. The printing press made all types of texts more available to the lower classes. This eventually led the lower classes to be educated. With more educated people, royalty and the upper class were not able to take advantages of them y trying to increase taxes, to get more money.
The Internet is much more revolutionary than the Gutenberg printing press. The Internet has revolutionized the way we find and store information. We can currently access all of the information know to mankind with a device in our pocket. The Internet is the largest source of information in the world, it is weightless, and is accessible to everyone. Unlike the printing press the web can translate any piece of information into your local vernacular. It doesn’t matter if someone only reads English and a paper is written in French you can still read it. A person from England and a person from china can communicate for free without a language barrier. Unlike the printing press and the written book, the Internet has no weight. Everyone with a cellular device carries millions of books, papers, and new reports without a second thought. It has also affected the way our school systems operate. The students in the lower school are already using Ipad’s for their schoolwork. Soon our textbooks will all be stored on the Internet. Nobody will have to carry books, pen, and paper. The printing press is limited because it takes a very long time to print an entire book. Then if someone wanted to read that book they would have to make a long trip to their closest library, find their desired book then read it. With the Internet we can open our phone, or turn on our home computer and just type a couple of words and the Internet does the rest. The Internet finds what we are looking for, and then finds things related to the subject and based on how we like the book, it will suggest a new book on a similar subject. The Internet literally encourages its users to further their knowledge in whatever subject they choose. The Internet has also advanced technology. Everyone has a computer and a cell phone. Children are growing up with access to an unimaginable amount of information. Kids are building their own computers, learning languages, studying for tests, watching presidential speeches, and more with the help of the Internet. Lastly the printing press is held back because of how fragile paper is. A book can rip, burn, smear, fill with water, be lost, or forgotten, but everything on the Internet is forever. The Internet is an information super highway.
ReplyDeleteGood point about how the Internet breaks the language barrier! I also liked on how you touched on the fact that the Internet isn't physical in the way paper is. Although not every single person has a smart phone or tablet, I'm sure we're not too far from a time where that will be a reality!
DeleteThe printing press is unquestionably the most important invention in the history of the world. It vastly improved the education of the general populace and improved the effectiveness of propaganda. It really changed the course of society and in a way gave birth to the renaissance.
ReplyDeleteBefore the printing press, people were stuck listening to the words of a priest who interpreted the bible and couldn’t really develop their own ideas on the bible I and their religion in general. At the time only the rich could afford a bible, now with the invention of the printing press the average person could afford a bible. This allowed people to form their own ideas about the way that they would like to practice their beliefs. This education and religious freedom partly gave way to the renaissance as well as the formation of the protestant church.
The printing press also facilitated the use of propaganda by the government. It allowed them to influence their citizens like never before. However, although propaganda was widespread the governments had to be careful because its subjects were now more educated and thus wouldn’t buy everything that was preached to them.
In addition to both of the things stated above, the printing press spread vernacular literature. This belittled the importance of Latin and thus ultimately made killed it for good.
All in all the printing press was an extraordinary invention which has greatly improved the lives of everyone since its birth.
Communication, the exchange of information and knowledge, is a crucial component of advanced civilization. What is knowledge when one is not able to share it with others? If we define important as having a profound positive impact on society, then the printing press, a medium of communication, is the most important invention to mankind. According to McDougal Littell’s “World History,” in five months, one copyist (a person who makes handwritten copies of documents, music, etc.) would be able to laboriously produce one book. According to the same source, in five months, one man and one printing press had the capacity to produce five hundred books. Amalgamating existing European and Asian technologies with his novel idea of moveable type, Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press in the revolutionary year of 1452. With the advent of the printing press, information and knowledge became more readily available to an increasing number and spectrum of individuals through books. Due to the sheer number of them, these books valuable in content were often inexpensive. This resulted in a more literate population and culture, and a desire to learn. Thus, the printing press allowed for the flourishing Renaissance to reach its full potential. Humanist ideals, so central to the Renaissance spirit, were able to permeate society through printed works. People were able to read of existing political and religious structures and form their own opinions on these subjects, leading to societal change and personal growth. Legal proceedings, for example, were published, making laws more lucid and allowing people to reflect on the rights granted to them as citizens. Printing materials also aided the spread of ideas across trade routes and, consequently, across the globe. Some argue that other inventions, not the printing press, were most important to mankind. With the publishing of accounts of new discoveries and maps, however, the printing press proved to be a source of inspiration, leading to numerous inventions in various fields. Many inventions that are argued to be the most “important” may have never existed were it not for the printing press and the educated culture that emerged from it. For the aforementioned reasons and more, the Gutenberg printing press is the most important invention and allowed society to thrive in the centuries to come.
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