Intellectual Discussion Thread III: 20th Century Inventions
 

(Sorry I didn't reply to the IDT II, but it was too limited of a discussion, too narrowed down to on topic and not much to do. And the elite thing was a joke, while not a very funny one)

What, do you think, is the greatest human invention (real or not) of the 20th century that will change the very way we live forever?

I think it's computers. 50 years ago, it was impossible to imagine a machine that could perform any thinking process at all, let alone a complicated one. Nowadays the talk of the show is Artificial Intelligence - machines that could perform complex thought process and learn like humans, those basic ones that could mimic the behaviours of simple animals are in millions of homes around the world.

Without computers, there would be no space exploration. Forget Hubble telescope, forget Voyager, forget Pathfinder. Computers save lives an extend our life expectancy, both by helping the healing process in hospitals, and allow complex robotics to be comtrolled so we don't have to go into hazardous places like high-radiation fallout, space, into the cones of valcanoes, or holding a welder in a car assembly plant. Robotics do things in environments that would kill us, and computers makes robots move.

Without computers, there would be no robotics. Robots are, by proper description, automatic, requiring little or no human help. Without something to perform even a simple thinking tasks, robotics would be considered a waste of time as a human would still have to be behind it.

Computers is the greatest 20th century invention, way up there with fire, the wheel, farming, and money. Computers enhance our energy generation, revolutionize our transport systems, change the way we prodcue our food, and destroy the old face of money forever.

(Intelligent replies only.)

I think that the most important invention of the 20th century was the ability to travel into space. The possibilities that we have opened up for ourselves in space are breathtaking.

I agree with that computer is one of the Greatest 20th century invention.Now,everything is all related or nearly related to computers.

Lets put it this way, computer now is like controlling our life's,without it.....well, some might not "survive". Everything now is done by computers. Before that, everything have to be done by hand.The advantage of course is that work is done faster,time is save,money is save.
But,
the disadvantage might be a very hard pill to swallow in the long run.My fear is, people might get too dependent of computers,and the reality of robots taking over the world might happen sooner if not later.Look what AI is advancing?At a very frightening pace I might add.
Well,computers are great,but when one thinks of the consequenses of overly (might be unfounded) dependent on computers,humanity is in for a very hard time.

Fire is not an invention, but a discovery :)

/me shuts up now =D

So why did they let me patent it? :confused:

The Atom Bomb. It has effectively stopped giant World Wars from happening ever again.

but there was nearly a war about the atom bomb, and it has killed thousands of people already.

I agree with computers.

Sawg,

You're very right. The transistor, a simple invention at that, was the biggest revolution of electronics in the world - ever. The thinking processes of computers are purely the work of millions of transistors in each silicon chips you see. Transistors reduced huge almighty machines of the old to the size that can fit your pockets, like a walkman or a mobile phone. Transistors brought about everything we take for granted today, from fridges to nuclear submarines, from cappucino machines to deep space probes.

You very right, sawg, and I am an idiot to have not noticed, even though I knew all too well. :(

Bilbo Baggins,

Without transistors and computers, space exploration could only go so far before it falls back to earth.

Xerxes,

Look at it this way, with the atomic bomb, nuclear-capable countries would be more reluctant to go to war with each other, supressing chances of war from happening at all. But if war does spark, it would be over in a few days of making giant mushrooms. So you're right that it stops Giant World Wars, but I don't think an intercontinental nuclear warhead nowadays can detonate without transistors to time it, and computers to define a suitable flight path to hit the target.

phisherman,

Fire was a semi-invention-cum-discovery. When man developed the use of fire for hunting and heating food to make it more edible, it was a discovery, but the process of artificially creating fire was an invention. The discovery of fire brought about the invention of fire, while the invention of fire brought about so many other things; from internal combustion engines to power stations.

Phily Baby,

Quoting from the film "Backdraft"; "What would you like to do with the world?"
Well, what would you like to do?

I KNEW that would be the argument - You need computers to make atomic missles, blah blah blah. The first atomic bombs, until the fifties, were designed using old fashioned intellect, pen, and paper.
In my closet are the declassified blueprints to the first atomic bomb
that I bought during my trip to New Mexico. No computers- just mechanics.

But using your line of argument, where would computers be without the 20th century invention of alternating current? Does that make alternating current more important than computers?

My thinking is much more geared toward total impact on history, rather then what other technological advances an invention allows people to create.

Good point, but although compters are crucial to space travel, my idea was that it is the travel itself that is important.

I agree with Sawg with the Transistor...

Stupud us for giving it to the Japanese cause we couldnt figure out what the hell to do with it...

ßIB = IC

But i find it odd that the transistor was invented before the diode... and all a transistor is are two back-to-back diodes.. lol.


and Sawg.. its "integrated circuit" (IC), not interrelated...

:p