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For one of my classes I have to make a presentation on a scientist or engineer who demonstrates large amounts of creativity. So in my process to decide who to discuss I would figure that I would ask here. From what I have gathered, common ideas of creativity are far removed from the Objectivist opinions on them. So I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks in advance

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For one of my classes I have to make a presentation on a scientist or engineer who demonstrates large amounts of creativity.

Isambard Kingdom Brunnel.

He developed the rail network in Great Britain, then built the first, or one of the first, steam powered trans-pacific passenger and cargo ships, the Great Eastern. It's also the world's oddest ship, having sails, screws and paddle wheels.

I forget his name, but the man who came up with the Polymerase Chain Reaction. It's the essential tool for gene-sequencing, and it was a great advance in that field. The PCR machine allows to "amplify" DNA (essentially copying it), which requires smaller samples. It also aided in the analysis of DNA in criminal and paternity cases.

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Nikola Tesla: developed a technique (alternating current) for efficient power transmission, which no one at the time believed to be possible.

Claude Shannon: the engineer who developed the idea of using voltage levels to represent "true" and "false", thus founding modern electronics. He also wrote a paper which gave the theoretical basis for the first chess-playing computer programs.

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Nikola Tesla: developed a technique (alternating current) for efficient power transmission, which no one at the time believed to be possible.

I agree, he's definitely my favorite. He also has a large number of other very creative inventions, one of the most famous being the Tesla Coil. I *think* he may have also discovered the process of induction, but I could be wrong about that one.

Interestingly enough, he died very poor, even though he developed technology that we all use today.

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Some more possibilities:

Alan Turing: mathematician and cryptologist. Pretty much founded computer science, plus he helped to break the Enigma code used by Germany in WWII.

John M. Browning: he developed and designed a large number of guns, including some of the first repeating rifles, machine guns and the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)

Thomas Edison: self-evident.

Oh, and the inventor of PCR is Kary Mullis

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I *think* he may have also discovered the process of induction, but I could be wrong about that one.

I don't think he discovered induction, because Maxwell's equations would already have been known at the time he did his work. He definitely invented the induction machine, however. I think you could say he was the first person to apply the phenomenon to practical problems.

Additionally, Tesla also predicted much of our current technology, including our extensive use of wireless data transfer.

In any case, alternating current must be the greatest invention ever in electrical engineering with the possible exception of digital logic (Shannon) and the transistor (Bardeen, Shockley, and Brattain).

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I don't think he discovered induction, because Maxwell's equations would already have been known at the time he did his work. He definitely invented the induction machine, however. I think you could say he was the first person to apply the phenomenon to practical problems.

Additionally, Tesla also predicted much of our current technology, including our extensive use of wireless data transfer.

In any case, alternating current must be the greatest invention ever in electrical engineering with the possible exception of digital logic (Shannon) and the transistor (Bardeen, Shockley, and Brattain).

The principle of electromagnetic induction was discovered by Michael Faraday, someone who was a hero to Thomas Edison. Benjamin Franklin figured out how electrostatic induction works, and he was also a great inventor.

Tesla would be an excellent choice, but Archimedes I think may have been the greatest engineer of all time. And, hey, Newton was a great inventor to go along with being perhaps the most brilliant scientist and mathematician of all time. Check out his liquid mirror idea.

So, lots of names to choose from:

Nikola Tesla, Michael Faraday, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Archimedes, Isaac Newton.

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I'd suggest Kazimierz Siemienowicz, a founder of basic artillery theory and firework production. Wrote a book known as "The Complete Art of Artillery", that was used for two centuries to make rockets both for civilian and battle purposes. He also was the first to introduce multistage rockets, batteries of rockets, and rockets with delta wing stabilizers (instead of the common guiding rods).

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Additionally, Tesla also predicted much of our current technology, including our extensive use of wireless data transfer.

Wasn't that prediction related to the Tesla Coil? I remember reading that one of his goals with that invention was to transmit signals wirelessly.

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John Harrison and Christian Huygens should get a mention.

Harrison opened up the whole world to regular international trade because his invention - the accurate chronometer - allowed for reasonably good determination of longitude and thus reduced the risks involved in ocean voyages.

Huygens is in a similar category as (and contemporary with) Newton - prolific in both the theory and practice of science and technology. For instance, he is the inventor of the escapement, the pendulum clock and the pocket watch, which then helped Harrison build his own devices. He is also credited for helping getting the ball rolling on modern designs of the internal combustion engine.

JJM

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Wasn't that prediction related to the Tesla Coil? I remember reading that one of his goals with that invention was to transmit signals wirelessly.

The thing about Tesla was that he was more a true inductive scientist than an engineer. He used to poke fun at his contemporary, Edison, who claimed that new ideas were 90% perspiration and only 10% inspiration. Tesla compared it to using a scalpel to tease back the layers to reveal the truth hidden within the universe, unlike Edison's shotgun approach. I mean really, 3000 different materials were tested to find the right carbon filament for the light bulb. One would think there might be a better way to get the answer, like, oh say, the scientific method?

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The thing about Tesla was that he was more a true inductive scientist than an engineer. He used to poke fun at his contemporary, Edison, who claimed that new ideas were 90% perspiration and only 10% inspiration. Tesla compared it to using a scalpel to tease back the layers to reveal the truth hidden within the universe, unlike Edison's shotgun approach. I mean really, 3000 different materials were tested to find the right carbon filament for the light bulb. One would think there might be a better way to get the answer, like, oh say, the scientific method?

I think it's ludicrous to poke fun at Edison, the most prolific inventor in history, when it comes to the job of inventing. And, to be sure, he used science to help him in coming up with his inventions, although I'm not sure to what degree. In fact, he even invented the industrial lab, which has become common place in large companies today.

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I think it's ludicrous to poke fun at Edison, the most prolific inventor in history, when it comes to the job of inventing. And, to be sure, he used science to help him in coming up with his inventions, although I'm not sure to what degree. In fact, he even invented the industrial lab, which has become common place in large companies today.

If you believe the stories, Edison antagonized Tesla, and tried to discredit his inventions, so this may account for such comments. Apparently, Edison ran a propaganda campaign against alternating current in favor of direct current, although the former was incomparably more practical (but take this with a grain of salt-I'm not 100% confident in my sources, and I need to do some more reading on the subject).

In any case, none of Edison's inventions can compare to the induction machine, let alone alternating current. These two inventions together are indispensable to the standard of living we have today (although computers do not rely on these directly, their use would not be practical without efficient power generation and transmission). This is why Tesla is often referred to as the man who 'invented' the twentieth century. The light bulb (or substitute any other of Edison's major inventions) was a great invention, but not on that level.

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If you believe the stories, Edison antagonized Tesla, and tried to discredit his inventions, so this may account for such comments. Apparently, Edison ran a propaganda campaign against alternating current in favor of direct current, although the former was incomparably more practical (but take this with a grain of salt-I'm not 100% confident in my sources, and I need to do some more reading on the subject).

Yes, but that's all really beside the point, isn't it?

In any case, none of Edison's inventions can compare to the induction machine, let alone alternating current.

The inventor of the electric motor and generator (one is just the reverse process of the other) was Michael Faraday. Tesla invented the rotating magnetic field which made possible the AC motor. Tesla’s invention may be better, but it’s certainly reasonably comparable to Edison’s greatest work.

These two inventions together are indispensable to the standard of living we have today (although computers do not rely on these directly, their use would not be practical without efficient power generation and transmission).

The light bulb, the phonograph, the industrial lab, the first commercially available x-ray machine (fluoroscope), the carbon microphone (used in all phones until the 1980s), and the first power generating stations for transmitting power to homes have all been immensely valuable to our lives.

A device that records sound? How amazing is that? We use this principle all the time.

This is why Tesla is often referred to as the man who 'invented' the twentieth century. The light bulb (or substitute any other of Edison's major inventions) was a great invention, but not on that level.

I think you are under stating Edison’s achievements. To be sure, I’m a huge fan of both of them. I’m just noting how ridiculous it is to belittle Edison qua inventor. It should also be pointed out that Edison was a great entrepreneur. He did some things that were immoral, but his achievements were all based on merit.

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If you believe the stories, Edison antagonized Tesla, and tried to discredit his inventions, so this may account for such comments. Apparently, Edison ran a propaganda campaign against alternating current in favor of direct current, although the former was incomparably more practical (but take this with a grain of salt-I'm not 100% confident in my sources, and I need to do some more reading on the subject).

Edison's antagonism to AC was directed at George Westinghouse, not Tesla. The one important event was Edison's marketing of the electric chair, which uses alternating current, as a means of execution. The idea was that people would associate AC with electrocutions and be revolted by it. That didn't work.

The History Channel did an ep of "Man, Moment, Machine" about it. You should look it up.

Edison could not abide competition, so he might have tried to discredit Tesla. He paid an inventor, Hiram Maxim, to leave the US and quit working on electricity. Maxim wound up inventing the Maxim gun, the first recoil-powered machine gun.

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Yes, but that's all really beside the point, isn't it?

I was just pointing out that this may explain Tesla's frequent criticisms of Edison. If someone tried to convince people that my invention was dangerous, I would probably react in the same way, and with good reason.

The inventor of the electric motor and generator (one is just the reverse process of the other) was Michael Faraday. Tesla invented the rotating magnetic field which made possible the AC motor. Tesla’s invention may be better, but it’s certainly reasonably comparable to Edison’s greatest work.

You are correct. I definitely need to read that biography of Tesla which I have lying around!

I suppose you could argue that the light bulb is comparable to alternating current in terms of its direct effects on our lives, but AC is a much more fundamental invention in that it made so many other things (including the cheap and efficient use of light bulbs) possible. So, it would depend on what standard you used to compare these inventions.

The light bulb, the phonograph, the industrial lab, the first commercially available x-ray machine (fluoroscope), the carbon microphone (used in all phones until the 1980s), and the first power generating stations for transmitting power to homes have all been immensely valuable to our lives.

A device that records sound? How amazing is that? We use this principle all the time.

Let's not forget that Tesla was also one of the inventors of radio, which we use not infrequently!

He did some things that were immoral, but his achievements were all based on merit.

I agree, but it's hard for me to like Edison knowing that he tried to discredit better technology. Unless he honestly thought DC was better, this was a very evil thing to do. It reminds me of the campaign against Rearden Metal in Atlas Shrugged (the unproven assertions, vague insinuations of danger, etc.). It is true, however that no amount of immorality can erase Edison's great achievements.

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Isambard Kingdom Brunnel.

He developed the rail network in Great Britain, then built the first, or one of the first, steam powered trans-pacific passenger and cargo ships, the Great Eastern. It's also the world's oddest ship, having sails, screws and paddle wheels.

...

The Great Eastern was also the ship that laid the first transatlantic telegraph cable. It was vastly ahead of its time in many ways. It was tougher than any other ship of its time with double or triple hulls( forget which). During one of its passenger ships it struck an iceberg roughly the size of the one that sunk the Titantic and none of the crew even noticed.

Sadly though it was actually a failure as a passenger liner, it stopped taking passengers only a few years after its maiden voyage.

A perhaps interesting bit of trivia about this guy is that he also smoked 30+ cigars a day, but considered himself in great health. Sadly this may have greatly contributed to the stroke that killed him days before the Great Easterns maiden voyage,

Edited by Prometheus98876
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The Great Eastern was also the ship that laid the first transatlantic telegraph cable. [..] Sadly though it was actually a failure as a passenger liner, it stopped taking passengers only a few years after its maiden voyage.

Those two facts are related. The reasong the Great Eastern failed comercially, was that it wasn't used for what it was designed to do: making the passenger and freight run from England to Australia. She just wasn't cost-effective for shorter jaunts. It was like using a supersonic version of a 747 to run the New York to Boston shuttle, rather than New York to Tokyo.

After she failed, she did turn out to have enough room for the gigantic spools of copper cabling needed to run the lenght of the Atlantic. Plus she had huge engines to move it and room to spare for crew and workers.

I think she ended up a riverside tourist trap in London.

As for the hull, it was a double hull. An interesting note is that children worked in the spaces between hulls during construction, because adults were too large for them.

There were also many problems during construction, including graft very high up in management. But that detracts not one iota from Brunnel's design.

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Wasn't that prediction related to the Tesla Coil? I remember reading that one of his goals with that invention was to transmit signals wirelessly.

Tesla was also very interested in wireless power (as opposed to information) transmission, so that may have been his goal with the Tesla coil. He never made wireless power transmission practical, but I hear that research in this area has resumed recently (this just shows how prescient Tesla was). Tesla was also "one of" the inventors of radio (from what I have read, it's hard to pick out a single person as being the sole inventor), and he predicted that wireless data transfer would become ubiquitous in the future. In Tesla's own words:

"As soon as it is completed, it will be possible for a business man in New York to dictate instructions, and have them instantly appear in type at his office in London or elsewhere. He will be able to call up, from his desk, and talk to any telephone subscriber on the globe, without any change whatever in the existing equipment. An inexpensive instrument, not bigger than a watch, will enable its bearer to hear anywhere, on sea or land, music or song, the speech of a political leader, the address of an eminent man of science, or the sermon of an eloquent clergyman, delivered in some other place, however distant. In the same manner any picture, character, drawing, or print can be transferred from one to another place. Millions of such instruments can be operated from but one plant of this kind. More important than all of this, however, will be the transmission of power, without wires, which will be shown on a scale large enough to carry conviction."

-Nikola Tesla on his Wardenclyffe Tower in "The Future of the Wireless Art" in Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony (1908)

Tesla's first prediction has obviously already come true. His prediction about power transfer hasn't, but may yet.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Those two facts are related. The reasong the Great Eastern failed comercially, was that it wasn't used for what it was designed to do: making the passenger and freight run from England to Australia. She just wasn't cost-effective for shorter jaunts. It was like using a supersonic version of a 747 to run the New York to Boston shuttle, rather than New York to Tokyo.

After she failed, she did turn out to have enough room for the gigantic spools of copper cabling needed to run the lenght of the Atlantic. Plus she had huge engines to move it and room to spare for crew and workers.

I think she ended up a riverside tourist trap in London.

As for the hull, it was a double hull. An interesting note is that children worked in the spaces between hulls during construction, because adults were too large for them.

There were also many problems during construction, including graft very high up in management. But that detracts not one iota from Brunnel's design.

Yes I am quite aware that they are related, and that it was a double hull.

The construction issues were largely due to who he choose to build it, the shipyard he choose to use, a fire which massively delayed construction and also disagreements on how to launch the thing.

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Tesla was also "one of" the inventors of radio (from what I have read, it's hard to pick out a single person as being the sole inventor),

I was lucky enough to attend a day long seminar at our local university (SFU) devoted to celebrating the 150 anniversary of Tesla's birth, in 2006. There were original papers and current science presented explaning how Tesla's work is still relevant and prescient.

Several speakers (historians of science) discussed the "who invented radio" question, and the relevant patents were examined and compared. My background is electronics and intellectual property, and I was satisfied that the circuits I saw in Tesla's patents proved that he invented radio ahead of Marconi, and I believe the USPTO also agreed on this in a court challenge after his death.

BTW, can anyone recommend the best books on Tesla's life and achievements? I'm thinking of getting the Cheney bio, but if anyone can point me to something better or more thorough, I would appreciate their advice.

Stay Focused,

<Φ>aj

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