The greater invention, the printing press or the internet?

As we all know both are historic inventions that have defined the period they were invented in. So the question is, what is the greater invention? In terms of influence on the people and events. Personally I believe the printing press.

The three points below are just a few things I can think of.

The Printing Press -

1. The first invention that allowed the mass production of books. Books held most of the knowledge of the time.
2. These books influenced events like the French revolution.
3. Mass propaganda etc can be made for the first time.

The Internet -

1. Access to information is easier and quicker.
2. It's the greatest platform for freedom of speech ever.
3. Influences protests, eg OWS.

I'll go with the printing press since we would still be required to go to the mail box to get the paper or go to the store . Daily exercise and such . The internet for the ease of access to all varieties of the news . Still a coin toss .

reply to post by Tea4One


I'd have to argue that the internet is the greatest invention. I think it has the potential to destroy evil and make humanity into a cohesive organism - by shedding light where there was previously none and showing that reflected image to the entirety of humanity.

Not downplaying books, but they existed before the press.

Hi tea4one..my vote would be the printing press and here's why..people learned to read.

We then became educated and able to make a lot of progress in thinking for ourselves..before the majority of humanity was able to read..Priests and Church leaders held all the power.

Of course it was just a matter of time until most people could read and write..but this was an important step in our evolution to freedom of thought and written expression.

What a different world it would be had mankind not learned to read and write..I'm thankful for the internet..I feel it is an important part of our ongoing evolution..Thanks for your post Cheers Coco

For me, it's like apples and oranges.

They are both fruit, but still substantially different.

I think of the internet as a natural extension of the printing press.

Most definitely the printing press.
Cause what are you going to do when the power goes out?

The printing press by far. I think that the internet was an inevitable outcome of both the progression of technology and the increasing speed and volume of information. The printing press may not have been so inevitable, but it dis revolutionize the dissimination of information and led to the French Revolution, as well as eased the progression of philosophy and religion, namely with the Christian Bible.

reply to post by Tea4One


without the invention of the printing press, dissemination of large amounts of information, with accuracy, (books, etc.) would have never happened. which means that the internet would never have been realized. so in my opinion the press is the great innovation that changed the world irrevocably. the internet, while significant, and a great world changer in an of itself is secondary because the egg had to come before the chicken.

The Internet is a great invention.
However the printing press and it's derivatives printers are used for many things still.

The the press has endured and is still used today in spite of the Internet for many things.

Originally posted by Tea4One
As we all know both are historic inventions that have defined the period they were invented in. So the question is, what is the greater invention? In terms of influence on the people and events. Personally I believe the printing press.

The three points below are just a few things I can think of.

The Printing Press -

1. The first invention that allowed the mass production of books. Books held most of the knowledge of the time.
2. These books influenced events like the French revolution.
3. Mass propaganda etc can be made for the first time.

The Internet -

1. Access to information is easier and quicker.
2. It's the greatest platform for freedom of speech ever.
3. Influences protests, eg OWS.

The printing press actually started life as a grape crusher so it's an adaption not an invention but I'd argue that if we didn't have the printing press first we'd have not yet made it to the age where we could have the internet as all human knowledge was printed and recorded.

Mind you the printing press came into play at about the same time as the witch persecution and most historians agree that without the printing press the level of death and destruction would not have been as big as it was.

Wow am I really the only one on board with internet?

Books bring knowledge from one subjective voice, therefore lacking objective credence.

The internet, however, produces all subjective opinions in one place so that we can get the whole picture and get a bit closer to objective reasoning. Also, the ramifications of the internet have not yet been reached as it's a very young technology. Look at the bigger picture, guys.

reply to post by Tea4One


Definitely the Printernet!

2nd line

I have to say i think we couldnt have had the internet without the printing press... hoooowever as a tool... the internet obviously surpasses the printing press...

Internet
-Contains the collective of all of mans knowledge (give or take)
-Instantaneous access to said knowledge, further more finding specific bits of knowledge without having to sift through entire volumes.
-Instant messaging to anyone who has access to the internet.
-Allows for greater cultural diversity...faster.

Press
-Prints only what the user has available to him at that moment
-books have to be traveled (distance) at the speed of people
-putting information onto paper takes longer

double post

reply to post by Tea4One


The printing press did for the people in power what the internet did for the powerless.

They are equally huge breakthroughs but one helped oppress and the other is liberating. Both are blessings to humanity once we are laughing back on it all. I can't wait until then.

Originally posted by conspiracyrus
I have to say i think we couldnt have had the internet without the printing press...

The question was not which came first. I think without the printing press, technology as a whole would have halted to that time period. You can't argue something is better just because it came first.

The internet is clearly the superior tool. And it's the universal printing press that doesn't waste paper or require printing.

Originally posted by UnivoxSuperfuzz

Originally posted by conspiracyrus
I have to say i think we couldnt have had the internet without the printing press...

The question was not which came first. I think without the printing press, technology as a whole would have halted to that time period. You can't argue something is better just because it came first.

The internet is clearly the superior tool. And it's the universal printing press that doesn't waste paper or require printing.

Superior or not , the printing press jobs were not out sourced . The number of computers made to make the net so superior went where to get it done ? Lost jobs versus more news than a person can read in one day , have to take the printing press hands down .

Might as well argue reading and writing against spell check .
2nd line

reply to post by watchdog8110


Hmmm... Good point. I was mostly ignoring the proximate points and concentrating on the ultimate.

I mean when it comes down to it, the whole argument has no real point. I mean "better" is completely subjective and is a worthless term. I was having fun with the debate, though.

Originally posted by UnivoxSuperfuzz
reply to post by watchdog8110

 

Hmmm... Good point. I was mostly ignoring the proximate points and concentrating on the ultimate.

I mean when it comes down to it, the whole argument has no real point. I mean "better" is completely subjective and is a worthless term. I was having fun with the debate, though.

No worries , all in a good debate .