Fared diamond summary

Diamond stated that people driven by curiosity and love of tinkering developed many or most inventions. Once a device had been invented, the inventor then had to find aplication for it. Some other devices, invented to serve one purpose, eventually found most of their use for other, unanticipated purposes. For example, Thomas Edison’s phonograph. When he developed phonograph, he wanted it to be used for preserving the last words of dying people, recording books for blind people, announcing clock time, teaching spelling, etc. reproduction of music was not one of the uses. Howev

er, later, jukeboxes were created by arranging for a phonograph to play music at a drop of coin. Through this and several other example in the text, diamond states that invention if often the mother of necessity, rather than vice versa.

Ideally, its been thought that invention that arise without any precursors are the best inventions, but in reality all famous inventors had capable predecessors and successors and made their improvements at a time when society was capable of using their product. Diamonds also mentions that technology develops cumulatively, and that it finds most of its uses after it has been invented. He mentions that knowledge and technology is acquired by observation and by trial and error. He uses New Guineas, where he takes them to work with him in area away from their home. He notices that they constantly picks up unfamiliar things in the forest, and tinker with them, and occasionally find them useful enough to take it home. Discarded tin cans for reusable containers or pe

Some topics in this essay:
Thomas Edison’s, America Mexico, , development technology, technology acquired, trial error, invented locally, capable predecessors, technology diffusion,