Adventures of ideas / by Alfred North Whitehead.

  • Alfred North Whitehead
Date:
1933
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Adventures of ideas / by Alfred North Whitehead. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    change has increased even in my life-time. It is possible that in future ages mankind may relapse into the stage of stable societies. But such a relapse is extremely unlikely within any span of time which we need take into account. Section III. The recent shortening of the time-span be¬ tween notable changes in social customs is very obvious, if we examine history. Originally it depended upon some slow development of physical causes. For example, a gradual change of physical configuration such as the elevadon of mountains: the time-span for such a change is of the order of a million years. Again, a gradual change of climate: the time-span for such a change is of the order of five thousand years. Again a gradual over-population of the region occu¬ pied by some community with its consequent swarming into new territories: having regard to the huge death-rate of pre-scientific ages, the time-span for such a change was of the order of five hundred years. Again, the sporadic inven¬ tions of new technologies, such as the chipping of flints, the invention of fire, the taming of animals, the invention of metallurgy: in the pre-scientific ages, the average time-span for such changes was, at least, of the order of five hundred years. If we compare the technologies of civilizations west of Mesopotamia at the epochs ioo a.d., the culmination of the Roman Empire, and 1400 a.d., the close of the Middle Ages, we find practically no advance in technology. There was some gain in metallurgy, some elaboration of clock¬ work, the recent invention of gunpowder with its influence all in the future, some advance in the art of navigation, also with its influence in the future. If we compare 1400 a.d. with 1700 a.d., there is a great advance; gunpowder, and printing, and navigation, and the technique of commerce, had pro¬ duced their effect. But even then, the analogy between life in the eighteenth century and life in the great period of
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