tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023805782808412230.post5523151078893013022..comments2024-03-09T15:46:44.638+01:00Comments on For what they were... we are: The Antikythera mechanism: astonishing ancient technical and astronomical scienceMajuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023805782808412230.post-51979271542317259652010-12-14T03:18:13.946+01:002010-12-14T03:18:13.946+01:00Yes, I've read that too. However I had a very ...Yes, I've read that too. However I had a very good history teacher in 9th or 10th grade who understood that all processes or socio-cultural dimensions are interrelated, not just economy and science but also art, culture, social structures, etc. <br /><br />In this sense, Rome had some important manufacturing industries, specially for the Army and gatherer a large free trade zone under a single government. But on the other hand it was a slaver society and nobody competed with it in the economic aspect (unlike what happened in Europe during the late Middle and Modern ages, when countries were all trying to get even the slightest advantage over their neighbors). <br /><br />In this sense, mutatis mutandi, a comparison with China can be drawn: there was no socio-cultural nor political interest to better, to gain an edge from such technologies, except what could be directly used for war (Greek fire and such). Conservative ideologies like Plato's or Paul's became eventually dominant: the empire was too rigid to innovate in any direction that was not greater accumulation of power in the oligarchy (eventually leading to feudalism). <br /><br />When, in the Reinassance, all this stuff was rediscovered, it caused great changes because states were pitted against each other and hence many relied largely in technology ("arts" in the widest sense) to gain an edge, either in trade, military or prestige.Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023805782808412230.post-40783652510707829682010-12-13T16:48:51.979+01:002010-12-13T16:48:51.979+01:00It has been hypothesized that while the scientific...It has been hypothesized that while the scientific knowledge to make these devices was present then, that it stalled without a large manufacturing base to support it, in the same way that early moveable type efforts stalled for lack of the infrastructure to produce them in volume.Andrew Oh-Willekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02537151821869153861noreply@blogger.com