Alternate History Thread II...

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I think he didn't mean the whole five centuries, just something in between the two dates. Admit it, a great amount of timelines here does seem to fit that description.
 
*shrugs* A lot happening then. For example, shortly after I researched the beginning period of my timeline, the early 1400s became one of my favorite historical periods, because there was simply so much going on then.
 
You should include more on religion later on. Especially when the reformation comes around. But I must continue to insist that what I have read is far beyond anything that I could ever even imagine imagining writing.
 
What reformation? The Hussites did that pretty darn thoroughly. Of course, there might be a Neo-Catholic reformation. In fact, that's rather likely, especially as...
 
the early 1400s became one of my favorite historical periods, because there was simply so much going on then.

Same here, though for different reason. It was an IT. ;)
Of course, there might be a Neo-Catholic reformation. In fact, that's rather likely, especially as...

Counter-reformation, you mean?

See, I didn't catch that since their wasn;t enough on religion in the timeline.

Reread the very beginning of the tl. ;)

Could there be a timeline, where the enlightenment, etc never happened.

Sure, have a very early "French revolution" (the Fronde, perhaps?) happen and, if it fails (and chances are it will), the reaction will set in earlier. No Enlightenment.

"And none of this would have happened had they had they hanged Voltaire and sent Rosseau to the galleys."

Which would mean a slower tech pace?

Why would the technology be slowed down? Enlightenment was humanitarian, not technologic.
 
The philosophers spured on the inventors. If not for the ideas of philosophy, physics and science would never have developed. There is a direct correlation between the Enlightenment and the pace of human advancement.
 
The philosophers spured on the inventors. If not for the ideas of philosophy, physics and science would never have developed. There is a direct correlation between the Enlightenment and the pace of human advancement.

Any real examples?
 
Very well. The Enlightenment philosophers were the oneswho reserected the old Greek ideas about astronomy, such as the roundness of the Earth and the centricity of the sun. The Enlightenment philosphers gradually evolved, with time, to become scientific astronomers as we know astronomers today. Is that satisfactory?
 
the roundness of the Earth and the centricity of the sun

I thought Galileo Galilei, who lived a few centuries before the Enlightenment and was an astronomer, had more to do with it. :p

But I do agree that the philosophers influenced the development of technology. It doesn't mean that the tech. development will be slower, though. Without the Enlightenment, the theory would be less advanced, but the practice will be more so. Physics will be backwards compared to our world, but engineering will be more advanced. In 2005, we still might not have nuclear power, but by 1790 steam-powered vehicles may be quite commonplace.
 
For instance, there would be a total lack of nukes!!!!

They might invent something better. For instance, very advanced biological weapons...

EDIT: Anyway, you want me to do that timeline? Or just want to work on it yourself and needed ideas?
 
das said:
I thought Galileo Galilei, who lived a few centuries before the Enlightenment and was an astronomer, had more to do with it. :p

But I do agree that the philosophers influenced the development of technology. It doesn't mean that the tech. development will be slower, though. Without the Enlightenment, the theory would be less advanced, but the practice will be more so. Physics will be backwards compared to our world, but engineering will be more advanced. In 2005, we still might not have nuclear power, but by 1790 steam-powered vehicles may be quite commonplace.
Without phylosophy (and to some extent religions) early on will not give people the easy answers like why the sun shines cause the sun god makes it show, it will make people need to go and fidn the real answers early on... so it might takes loer to develop things.. but it will start much earlier...
 
I sometimes get a few dates mixed up, so shoot me! Why owuld the practice be more advanced? And also there is one thing you are ignoring. Removal of the Enlightenment would have another chain effect. Besides more obvious technological preventiveness, it woul dalso mean the liberation of Europe's Jews and other minorities would have been delayed much longer. Without the Jewish bankers, like the Rothschilds, funding Europe's endeavours, and Jewish scientists and philosophers, history would have been quite different and technological advancement much slower.
 
Why owuld the practice be more advanced?

Without the Philosopher influence on education, it would be more geared towards engineering and the like. Hence, Cugnot's idea is more then likely to get serious development, not to mention will appear much earlier.

Without the Jewish bankers, like the Rothschilds

Jewish bankers existed long before the Enlightenment. It actually weakened them in a sense. But I do agree that the lower class Jews will have it much harder then in OTL.

Jewish scientists and philosophers

Where the hell would they disappear? They also existed before the Enlightenment just as well. Though their ideas will, ofcourse, get less attention.

Jews, however, weren't the only scientists in Europe. They could easily be replaced by Gentiles.
 
There were some Jews around before the Enlightenment, but the Enlightenment era lead to the emancpation of the Jews throughout Europe. And yes, I am perfectly aware that Jews weren't the only scientists, there were also Hungarians ;) . But, Jewish scientists did make many contributions to Europe's technological advancement that would have been delayed to a later date if it were left up for the rest of the population to discover it. BTW, make sure that you do not take this as an unltra-nationalistic Jewish statement, I said that because there simply would have been less scientists around. The Enlightenment also liberated other European minorities that developed many important technological advancements that the World would have had to wate for if they had not been liberated.
 
Nukes dont mean the end of the world,anyone remember Gelion/Capulets/Stormys Cold War NES...the political tension was very nice there...unfortunately it ended in a nuclear hollocaust...but that was because of other things.
 
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