“ALL human progress and change, and history, comes from advances in technology. Religion, philosophy, warfare, all matter little or nothing, or are rather reactions to technological change.”
In all of my years on FR, this assertion has to be among the stupidest and most ignorant of any I’ve seen posted.
Making tools does not make you a god. The lathe is not the most important and does not even make the top ten of most lists. Many much more fundamental discoveries and inventions were required precursors as well.
I’m a big fan of technology, but only a fool would believe it is the single most important determinant of progress.
Technology is the single most important driver of history - it drives everything, it changes everything, it creates advantage and disadvantage, it creates sometimes desperate adaptations.
It creates chaos, often enough, upsets stability, it destroys social systems.
And it forces unlearning of old ideas about history.
Making tools is a divine, or demonic, act. Either way, there is nothing more consequential. Its worth thinking this through.
One nice lathe = one industrial revolution.