[ransackdev]

Knowledge was spread in written form before the printing press. Yes less of it and a lot slower, but you don’t have plumbing systems or built pyramids without knowledge being persisted for generations. The printing press is a factor I think but it not existing doesn’t explain why no progress was made for so long imo.

[extasia]

Of course knowledge was persisted in written form, but it was not industrialised. I would imagine progress is dominated by a small number of individuals, if information is dispersed across society broadly, your chances of those capable individuals having access to the knowledge requisite to advance the field is much higher.

How many geniuses did not advance science because they were ignorant of the current state of the art?