Ancient Greek Innovation
Today, it can be said that there has been several innovations that have allowed us to progress and advance as a society. An innovation is something that can be defined as simply as a new method, product or idea, and is typically one that is beneficial. Throughout history, the majority of these innovations have been discovered within topics such as technology and science. For instance, the era featuring the change from the Paleolithic age to the Neolithic age in history allowed the advancement from the hunter-gatherer, nomadic lifestyle to a society that featured the development of cities, job specialization, agriculture and government centers, all of which remain as vital components of society today. Classical Greece features an example of
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this as well, which was the development of modern philosophy. All of these changes can be considered innovations. Because of their lasting and remaining impacts on society, they can be considered enduring issues, or something that society has encountered across time. With that, innovations can be exemplified as an enduring issue throughout history with the shift between the Paleo and Neolithic ages, and the development of modern philosophy in ancient classical, as each of these events have left a lasting impact on society. Overall, because of the defining history defining changes mentioned, enduring issues as such should be addressed because of the lasting effects they have on the world today.
In history, the shift from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic exemplifies that innovations are, and have remained, an enduring issue throughout the course of history. Between 12,000 and 6,000 years ago, the period of transition between the Paleolithic lifestyle and the Neolithic lifestyle occurred. During this transition, the civilization that consisted of small sedentary villages in the Paleolithic era to one that featured the development of the first cities with permanent settlements. The growth and development of these cities allowed for job specialization and a stable government center during the Neolithic era as well *. “The period of transition from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age first occurred in the ancient Near East between 12,000 and 6,000 years ago. During that time, small sedentary farming villages created the conditions necessary for the development of cities with economic specialization and government centers. The earliest known cities grew out of Neolithic agricultural villages in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq.” (ABC CLIO, 2018) With this significant change came several notable innovations that have essentially acted as the blueprint for the development of important components of society today, including the development of cities, and economic & job specialization. Being that this change in between the two eras is notable for the innovations it brought upon society has impacted the rest of history, it can be considered an enduring issue, or more specifically, an example of an innovation.
Although the Paleolithic-Neolithic transition provides a significant example that innovations are an enduring issue, another time period in ancient history that exemplifies this is the Classical era of Greece.
During this period in history, taking place c. the fifth century, Greece was in frequent interaction with Egypt and Persia. Because of this and the different cultural influences that came with the contact between these civilizations, Greece was inspired to begin thinking about the world in new ways. This interest of the Greeks in the lifestyles of opposing cultures was responsible for the evolution of philosophy into what it is today. This is because prior to the interaction of Greece, Persia and Egypt, philosophy was nothing like it has come to be like today, meaning topics like humanity and morality were not the focus of philosophy but ideas such as science, math and political theory were. “ ...contemporary desire for wisdom and an approach to attaining it owes much to the methods laid down by the Greeks. The first important step those ancient thinkers took was to ask such questions as, What is the nature of the world? What is the nature of man? Do we perceive the world as it actually is, or are we seeing just a reflection of an underlying reality? By asking those kinds of questions and attempting to answer them logically, the Greeks laid the foundation for Western intellectual history.” (Hackney 2018). With this, it is obvious that the classical period of Greece contributes to the idea that innovations are and have remained an enduring issue throughout history. As mentioned in the quote, the Greeks desire for knowledge was what laid the foundation for modern day philosophy. “Greek philosophy was not dedicated entirely to questions that may be considered "philosophy"—that is to say, the study of morality and human existence. Many of the earliest Greek philosophers primarily considered subjects that modern thinkers would consider science, mathematics, or
political theory.” (Hackney 2018). Although philosophy was in existence before fifth century Greece, despite it being composed of entirely different subject matter, it is prevalent that they are the ones that contributed to creating philosophy into what it is today. Essentially, our modern philosophy would not exist without the Greeks. Greek philosophy is an innovation, for its contribution to the progression of an idea that has remained prevalent in society, which would be considered as an enduring issue as it has lasted in history for a substantial amount of time.
The shift from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic era and the development of modern philosophy in fifth-century Greece have changed and defined the course of history, and the effects of these events remain relevant in society today. The Neolithic era provided the blueprint for modern day cities featuring institutionalized government and job specialization. The Greeks in the fifth century allowed for philosophy to grow into the study of human nature, which is a topic that remains heavily studied and incorporated into culture. To finalize, because of these two important events in history, and the remaining impacts they’ve had on history since the time each event occurred, the shift between the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras and the development of philosophy are to be considered innovations, or broader, enduring issues.
this as well, which was the development of modern philosophy. All of these changes can be considered innovations. Because of their lasting and remaining impacts on society, they can be considered enduring issues, or something that society has encountered across time. With that, innovations can be exemplified as an enduring issue throughout history with the shift between the Paleo and Neolithic ages, and the development of modern philosophy in ancient classical, as each of these events have left a lasting impact on society. Overall, because of the defining history defining changes mentioned, enduring issues as such should be addressed because of the lasting effects they have on the world today.
In history, the shift from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic exemplifies that innovations are, and have remained, an enduring issue throughout the course of history. Between 12,000 and 6,000 years ago, the period of transition between the Paleolithic lifestyle and the Neolithic lifestyle occurred. During this transition, the civilization that consisted of small sedentary villages in the Paleolithic era to one that featured the development of the first cities with permanent settlements. The growth and development of these cities allowed for job specialization and a stable government center during the Neolithic era as well *. “The period of transition from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age first occurred in the ancient Near East between 12,000 and 6,000 years ago. During that time, small sedentary farming villages created the conditions necessary for the development of cities with economic specialization and government centers. The earliest known cities grew out of Neolithic agricultural villages in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq.” (ABC CLIO, 2018) With this significant change came several notable innovations that have essentially acted as the blueprint for the development of important components of society today, including the development of cities, and economic & job specialization. Being that this change in between the two eras is notable for the innovations it brought upon society has impacted the rest of history, it can be considered an enduring issue, or more specifically, an example of an innovation.
Although the Paleolithic-Neolithic transition provides a significant example that innovations are an enduring issue, another time period in ancient history that exemplifies this is the Classical era of Greece.
During this period in history, taking place c. the fifth century, Greece was in frequent interaction with Egypt and Persia. Because of this and the different cultural influences that came with the contact between these civilizations, Greece was inspired to begin thinking about the world in new ways. This interest of the Greeks in the lifestyles of opposing cultures was responsible for the evolution of philosophy into what it is today. This is because prior to the interaction of Greece, Persia and Egypt, philosophy was nothing like it has come to be like today, meaning topics like humanity and morality were not the focus of philosophy but ideas such as science, math and political theory were. “ ...contemporary desire for wisdom and an approach to attaining it owes much to the methods laid down by the Greeks. The first important step those ancient thinkers took was to ask such questions as, What is the nature of the world? What is the nature of man? Do we perceive the world as it actually is, or are we seeing just a reflection of an underlying reality? By asking those kinds of questions and attempting to answer them logically, the Greeks laid the foundation for Western intellectual history.” (Hackney 2018). With this, it is obvious that the classical period of Greece contributes to the idea that innovations are and have remained an enduring issue throughout history. As mentioned in the quote, the Greeks desire for knowledge was what laid the foundation for modern day philosophy. “Greek philosophy was not dedicated entirely to questions that may be considered "philosophy"—that is to say, the study of morality and human existence. Many of the earliest Greek philosophers primarily considered subjects that modern thinkers would consider science, mathematics, or
political theory.” (Hackney 2018). Although philosophy was in existence before fifth century Greece, despite it being composed of entirely different subject matter, it is prevalent that they are the ones that contributed to creating philosophy into what it is today. Essentially, our modern philosophy would not exist without the Greeks. Greek philosophy is an innovation, for its contribution to the progression of an idea that has remained prevalent in society, which would be considered as an enduring issue as it has lasted in history for a substantial amount of time.
The shift from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic era and the development of modern philosophy in fifth-century Greece have changed and defined the course of history, and the effects of these events remain relevant in society today. The Neolithic era provided the blueprint for modern day cities featuring institutionalized government and job specialization. The Greeks in the fifth century allowed for philosophy to grow into the study of human nature, which is a topic that remains heavily studied and incorporated into culture. To finalize, because of these two important events in history, and the remaining impacts they’ve had on history since the time each event occurred, the shift between the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras and the development of philosophy are to be considered innovations, or broader, enduring issues.