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This distinction seems arbitrary. Couldn't I just say that rope itself wasn't an invention but simply a better kind of vine for climbing?
by haZard_OS 9y ago
This distinction seems arbitrary. Couldn't I just say that rope itself wasn't an invention but simply a better kind of vine for climbing?
- TheOtherHobbes 9y agoNo, because that’s exactly what rope isn’t. The crucial step is understanding that you can link objects with a bendable but strong connection. Then you can start innovating applications, such as multiple people working together to move a single heavy object. Eventually you end up with previously unimaginable applications like horse bridles and ship rigging. The point of invention isn’t a new tool, it’s a completely new class of tools with an open-ended set of applications that aren’t immediately obvious.