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I don't think history shows that at all: In ancient Greece people did not go and exploit steam power beyond toy applications, for example.
by RandomLensman 3y ago
I don't think history shows that at all: In ancient Greece people did not go and exploit steam power beyond toy applications, for example.
- eaurouge 3y agoBecause everything in our history shows humans will hunt or forage for food when hungry. > I don't think history shows that at all: In ancient Greece people fasted for weeks on end, for example.
- RandomLensman 3y agoThose folk in Greece playing around with steam power weren't going hungry. The claim was people exploit levers when they find them, I pointed to a situation were people weren't. So in the situation in ancient Greece, if the situation was such that superlinear returns from steam power wasn't interesting, there is already a situation where social constructs stop that "law of nature". And even if, hypothetically, humans were always exploiting levers, still need to show that superlinear returns are a feature of nature and cannot be blocked by any social construct (as they are not the results of rules). By the way, even your food hunting thing is incorrect as such, as humans are known to willingly starve themselves to death. The problem with broad and sweeping claims is, that they are easily debunked unless they are very carefully researched.