A custom began, in which the recipient of a missive from one of these savants would call friends and interested observers together in salons or coffee houses to read the letters and sometimes draft a response. Thus was born the Royal Society in England, and similar groups elsewhere on the continent.

For the first time in history, discovery was shared, and investigators, then known as natural philosophers, could rely on other bright and inquisitive minds to vet their work, suggest improvements and so forth. The system was remarkably like open source software development and other modern phenomena that have arisen from our new global network. Even more remarkable, I think, given that perhaps only 10% of the world could read in the 17th century.

I am of the opinion that blogging and related network communications are giving rise to a new age of letters: the first one helped spark the Renaissance which pretty much completely altered the political, religious and economic fabric of the West, if not the whole world. One can only wonder what the results of the new network will be....
Comments 10:14:53 AM    

Chris Gulker's view from Silicon Valley - in words and pictures