ZGW-Colloquium: Simultaneous Inventions and the Process of Innovation

Simultaneous Inventions and the Process of Innovation

Through a few particular historical examples, I will argue, that the concept of simultaneous or parallel inventions provides a powerful tool for understanding the process of technical innovation on its social, technical and scientific contexts. In particular it helps identifying technical - scientific resources and social - economic needs and wishes central in the process of invention. Yet, a closer view shows that the aims and the resources of different inventors were not always identical, although one can find connections among them.