Leonardo Da Vinci And Thomas Edison Comparison

Leonardo da Vinci Versus Thomas Edison

Although they lived over four hundred years apart in two completely distinct cultural periods, Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Alva Edison can be considered the two most paramount inventors in human history due to their substantial contributions to society. To compare these two illustrious figures, it first must be deduced their specific achievements, such as da Vinci’s parachute or Edison’s phonograph, and their effect on civilization, being da Vinci’s inspiration of millions during the Renaissance and Edison’s benefaction to western modernization. Another important constituent that must be examined is each man’s respective eras and how it facilitated, or impeded, scholarly expansion. For instance, da Vinci lived in a pre-scientific age with diminutive technological headway while Edison lived in a more developed and sophisticated scientific time. Nevertheless, both special men were extraordinary thinkers whose

Even so, one factor separates the two and distinguishes da Vinci as the superior inventor: the yearning for knowledge. Leonardo studied what he did and accomplished what he did for the sole reason of learning. He overcame the scientific and technological limits of his time as well as the influence from government on Religion rather than natural sciences to advance his generation. Edison on the other hand accomplished what he did for a more practical purpose: monetary gain. Although drastically changing society, Edison used already existent technologies and simply innovated and perfected them. Leonardo had radical and new ideas that were un-matched by any existent records of the period. Therefore, albeit both were extremely important, Leonardo da Vinci is a more influential, admirable, and superior inventor and scientist than Thomas Alva Edison ("Sounding Board."