One angle to look at invention from is the curious fact that so many things are invented by different people in different countries; and that if you look into it you generally find that most of these multiple inventors have a point (rather than, as in Star Trek, Russians just being adorable idiots).
Just from your list, and from a British perspective/quick wiki’ing, Swan invented an electric light bulb that worked well enough to make him a lot of money before Edison—and Turing built the first computer, as opposed to calculator. And I’m sure there are French/German/etc equivalents that are just as accurate, and just as partial. Though even though I rationally know this, and have no conscious desire to defend my nation’s scientific honour, here I am writing this comment.
So invention as an idea (and as it’s normally thought of) is suspiciously connected to tribalism and identity. It may not be much use for describing or investigating how discovery works.
One angle to look at invention from is the curious fact that so many things are invented by different people in different countries; and that if you look into it you generally find that most of these multiple inventors have a point (rather than, as in Star Trek, Russians just being adorable idiots).
Just from your list, and from a British perspective/quick wiki’ing, Swan invented an electric light bulb that worked well enough to make him a lot of money before Edison—and Turing built the first computer, as opposed to calculator. And I’m sure there are French/German/etc equivalents that are just as accurate, and just as partial. Though even though I rationally know this, and have no conscious desire to defend my nation’s scientific honour, here I am writing this comment.
So invention as an idea (and as it’s normally thought of) is suspiciously connected to tribalism and identity. It may not be much use for describing or investigating how discovery works.