According to Guns, Germs, and Steel, what condition causes technology to arise?   

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pohnpei397 | College Teacher | (Level 3) Distinguished Educator

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The answer to this can be found at the end of Chapter 13.  There, Diamond tells us that the condition that causes technology to arise is food production.  Where farming exists, technology is likely to rise.

When a society starts to farm, it becomes sedentary.  When it becomes sedentary, it can accumulate possessions that can't be carried from place to place.  With farming also comes excess food.  This allows specialists to arise who can work on technology instead of having to get their own food.  Thus, the rise of agriculture leads to a rise in technology.  It frees some people up to work on technology and it allows the accumulation of possessions, meaning that the technology can actually be useful since it and its products do not have to be carried around.


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