Innovation vs. Invention

[ashlucard]

In comparing the definitions of the words 'innovation' to 'invention,' it appears as though innovations are essentially the reworking of technology, concepts, ideas, etc. for the apparent betterment or improvement of the system, the individual, or the culture around it. While the intentions of the innovations might be for the betterment of all, it could also negatively impact those who it was meant to help.

Examples of (ultimately) positive innovations:

• Galileo transforming astronomy from geocentric theories to heliocentric
• electricity leading to television, the computer, the internet
• improvement in clothing manufacturing
• papyrus to paper
• food - from hunting it to nuking it in the microwave
• printing press to the manual typewriter to the electric typewriter to the computer to the netbook (and beyond!)

Looking at innovations and inventions on a grander scale, one can see how individual inventions build upon each other, improving from previous version, however inventions are 'innovative' at a single moment in time. Innovations, in contrast, are more widespread, impacting society on a larger scale and over time.

Examples of (ultimately) negative-impacting innovations:

• HAL from 2001: Space Odyssey
• Mother computer from Alien
• The Terminator
• The Matrix - a computer program so advanced it rose against its human creators to entrap and enslave them
• Frankenstein - a creature that surpassed its creator and destroyed him
• The holodeck on Star Trek: The Next Generation - so many episodes involved it trapping people inside (including the captain!) and trying to kill them