Fragony on 11/3/2010 at 06:07
Quote Posted by kabatta
No offense, but wikipedia isn't the best history research tool in my opinions or my professor's opinion.
Plenty to find on that thing when interested, it's really amazing how much they already knew.
CCCToad on 11/3/2010 at 23:23
So basically what you're saying fett, is that New York City and California will be experience a great flood? Possibly due to the global warming that some people do not believe in?
Trance on 12/3/2010 at 01:10
Where is he saying that? :confused:
It is pretty depressing to learn just how much ancient scientific knowledge has been lost to mankind, and I do wonder how much more advanced and better off we might be now if that knowledge had survived. Take the (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jixnM7S9tLw) Great Library at Alexandria. The maddening thing is that we actually know what some of those long-destroyed works were, what it was that we've never seen and never will see.
Bluegrime on 12/3/2010 at 02:11
One of the most interesting things I've seen on the wonders of antiquity is a History Channel documentery on Puma Punku. They were an ancient people who carved extremely fine stone, and did such feats as drill perfectly aligned and matched holes. Which may not seem like a huge deal, until you consider that on the modern timeline they may not have even had the benefit of bronze tools.
Its astounding stuff to consider.. To me it means that they were extraordinarily good at engineering to perfectly align the stones and lines ( Several of them fit perfectly together like lego blocks ).. But I can't imagine a civilization being so capable only applying that level of knowledge to cutting some fancy lines in some rocks.
Heres a link to an article about the subject..
(
http://hubpages.com/hub/Ancient-Mysteries-Puma-Punku-in-Tiahuanaco)
Nicker on 12/3/2010 at 03:33
Quote Posted by Bluegrime
But I can't imagine a civilization being so capable only applying that level of knowledge to cutting some fancy lines in some rocks.
It's interesting but it seems that cultures (and even continents) can be brilliant at certain technologies without realising other seemingly obvious applications. Or they can seem to trivialise a technology rather than see its potential.
In Mesoamerica there was no widespread use of the wheel, (
http://www.precolumbianwheels.com/) except to make wheeled animal toys for their children. There may be legitimate reasons, associated with need or with the efficiency of wheeled vehicles in their terrain. And I am not saying that children and toys are trivial but come on! You build vast cities aligned with celestial events, perform routine brain surgeries but you can see no application for a wheeled cart? Anywhere?
Seems odd.
demagogue on 12/3/2010 at 15:02
That fits in with what I said before. The problem wasn't seeing the application, but the social implications of it. If you have wheeled (much less steam-powered) vehicles moving people and things around, suddenly you have masses of basically slave labor without work and a ruling class losing control. The incentive structure in this kind of situation is to turn your mind as far *away* from labor innovation as you can. Children's toys might pass as "trivial", but don't get any ideas from them or you'll unnerve a lot of powerful people.
Pyrian on 12/3/2010 at 20:28
Didn't Japan ban the wheel at one point?
TTK12G3 on 13/3/2010 at 03:50
Quote Posted by kabatta
No offense, but wikipedia isn't the best history research tool in my opinions or my professor's opinion.
It lays down the basic groundwork and beyond for almost any subject.
