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Fire is a natural phenomenon and I don't see how it can credibly be called an invention. That would be like calling water an invention. The others, though, ar
by na85 6y ago
Fire is a natural phenomenon and I don't see how it can credibly be called an invention. That would be like calling water an invention.
The others, though, are certainly inventions.
- iaw 6y agoI would argue that the ability to make controlled fires was an invention and perhaps the first chemistry humans intentionally performed, but I think it's just a point of semantics.
- SECProto 6y agoI see a lot more natural electricity (lightning, monthly) than I do natural fire (wildfires? Never)
- danielheath 6y agoAlmost as though methods to prevent wildfires are one of the earliest human inventions.
- gizmo385 6y agoGiven the record fire seasons in Colorado and California, not sure how well this comment reads.
- dylan604 6y agoIt reads just fine. That particular individual has not seen wildfires in person. No need to read anything else into it.
- SECProto 6y agoI mean, the reason I have never seen a wildfire is because they are exceedingly rare in my local biome. Nothing to do with artificial wildfire prevention.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- ClumsyPilot 6y agoWell, by that logic neither is electricity, since lightning exists. And magnets certainly do occur naturaly, and so does nuclear fission and fusion.
- na85 6y agoI agree. To say that a natually-occurring physical process or phenomenon was invented is nonsensical. Electricity is not the same as electric power, just as nuclear fission is not the same as a nuclear weapon, just the same as fire is not the same as a coal fired power plant. Electricity and nuclear fission were discovered, not invented.
- X6S1x6Okd1st 6y agoDo you think that electricity can credibly be called an invention?
- na85 6y agoNo, but I distinguish between Electricity, the physical phenomenon, and Electric Power, the application of electric charge to energize a device. Lightning is the obvious example of electricity that is not electric power.
- X6S1x6Okd1st 6y agoWhy not distinguish between fire the physical phenomenon and controlled fire the application of fire to heat up objects or provide light?