Do you think Johann Gutenberg played a positive or negative role in history?

Question:Do you think Johann Gutenberg played a positive or negative role in history? Hey i'm really stuck here and my paper is do tomorrow!!! Please help!!!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Do you think Johann Gutenberg played a positive or negative role in history? Hey i'm really stuck here and my paper is do tomorrow!!! Please help!!!

Definitely positive. the invention of the printing press was a wonderful thing, enabling books to be produced far more cheaply and in greater numbers than ever before, and making book ownership possible for a much greater number of people.

However, it is undeniable that many of the books produced during the age of handwritten books were works of art, and books would never again be as exquisite as they were in those days. And it was a loss of income to those who made a living by producing hand-written books, which was an occupation followed by many monks and nuns for instance.

Overall, though, i would say that his role was overwhelmingly positive.

I would be interested how the person who introduced movable type and printing to Western society could have a negative influence.

He developed a method whereby knowledge could be disseminated to the masses at relatively low cost. Before that, all books were copied by hand, very laborious.

He is the inventor of the printing press.

Before that, the students had to memorize the textbook to pass the course.

News, the fifth estate, would not have existed without the printing press. The US would never have gained, or maintained independence.

I think the question is a false question. It assumes that others, using his tool, are not responsible for their negative or positive actions. This is a rephrasing of the idea that "People dont kill people, guns kill people".

A modern parallel is the computer. Of Mr. Boole, or Von Neumann, or any of the few who are most responsible for the computer can you say by observing how the computer is innovated and used today that their role in history was positive or negative? It targets nuclear weapons, and guides medical techniques that save millions of lives.

Its very hard, and maybe a little arrogant to assume you can, or actually perform the task of separating the effect of the individual on history from the effects of those who follow.