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Before I start, I really have no idea what category of "Journal Topic" to put this sort of thing in. Can we have an "other" please? Not that I really care, but someone must, since I'm forced to select.
One of the things I like about reading Greek and Roman history is noticing how little we have changed behaviorally in 2500 years. Many of the ancient writers discuss politics, issues, traditons, and prejudices much in the same way we do today. I think if all the worlds a stage, little has changed in 2500 other than the props.
There's only two things that I can see that are really fundamentally different today than they were 2500 years ago, or probably 20,000 years ago for that matter.
1. Human population. I assume I don't have to sell anyone on the idea that there are a lot more people today then there were 2000 years ago. This is well established.
2. Technology. Just like human population, it has advanced considerably from ancient times. And also just like population, technology innovations seem to be increasing at a exponential rate. Not just now, but all the way back through history.
The two things seem intricately related. I'm unclear whether it takes a critical mass of population to facilatate large advances in technology, or if large advances in technology facilatate explosive population growth. It's an interesting question.
I could argue that technology is a manifestation of our intellect and intellect is the defining advantage of our species over other species, so it's only natural that our species advantage leads to population explosions. Afterall, that's the point of natural selection.
Still, it seems sometimes that certain innovations of technology would be impossible without a critical mass of people.
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