Jeff Fink wrote:
Is it culture that allowed western Europe/America to develop such incredible technology while all previous insipient techno societies such as China and Egypt failed to mature technically?
Jared Diamond says that geography has a lot to do with in, in his fascinating book "Guns germs and steel." I don't know if agree with everything he says, but the book is a tour de force and thought provoking.
Actually, the Chinese were well along at times. But they kept inventing effective clocks, classifying them as Top Secret government projects, and then forgetting how to make them. Truly asinine, but not unthinkable in modern day society.
- Jed
