The Greatest Invention of the Past 2000 Years

Author: (American) John Brockman edited, translated by Yuan Liqin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-08-01
Features: What is the greatest invention in the past 2,000 years? Why? Renowned book editor John Brockman posed this question online, sparking enthusiastic responses from today's most outstanding scientific elites and imaginative thinkers. Brockman selected one hundred of these responses to compile into a book, a truly clever and efficient approach. The editor categorizes the answers into two types: inventions of tangible objects and technologies, and the stirring impact of intellectual trends and changes. Some believe the invention of printing has the greatest and most lasting impact on human civilization, while others extend this to computers and the internet. Some even choose music as the greatest invention, arguing that it makes the greatest contribution to human happiness. In terms of the spiritual realm, many highlight the invention of concepts like democracy and peace as most important, while others select ideas such as free will, marketing, the scientific method, and the rejection of the supernatural as the greatest inventions. The book draws on a wide range of references, blending science and humanities, offering a truly eye-opening read. On January 4, 1999, the renowned literary agent John Brockman posed the question on the "Edge" website, seeking responses: "What is the greatest invention in the past two thousand years, and why?" Many scientists, philosophers, and entrepreneurs, such as evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, philosopher Daniel Dennett, physiologist Jared Diamond, and computer expert Marvin Minsky, responded enthusiastically, sparking a lively and fascinating discussion. Their perspectives are novel and insightful, each offering unique reasoning. The book compiles the fresh ideas and thoughts of intellectual luminaries of the era. Brockman selected approximately one hundred of these responses to compile into this book. It offers a fresh perspective to examine humanity, its thinking, the universe, and the vast world; it、，.