Invisible wrote:
>>> (Actually, the history of science and mathematics seems to involve 
>>> quite a lot of things being discovered, forgotten and then 
>>> rediscovered, often after a seriously large length of time.)
>>
>> That happens a lot when fanatics burn down libraries. Hasn't really 
>> happened much since the invention of the printing press.
> 
> Which, AFAIK, is "fairly recent".

Yep. The first "modern" press was the mid-1400's.  There were some in China 
that didn't work out all that well due to the lack of an alphabet.  Plus, 
there were wood-cuts which again for some reason didn't work out all that well.

> seemingly nothing inbetween. 

Quite possibly due to either libraries burning down, or due to math not 
being all that useful without science, once the basics you need for 
architecture census and such are figured out.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   Human nature dictates that toothpaste tubes spend
   much longer being almost empty than almost full.

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