Will technology advance/ is it advancing?

[Genghis Khal]

Do you guys believe the Faith of the Seven can have a similar effect to the Catholic church in western Europe? I mean on one side helping progress (monks were the first western "scientists") but also halting it ( like the famous Giordano Bruno case and many others)?

[Bright Blue Eyes]

Do you guys believe the Faith of the Seven can have a similar effect to the Catholic church in western Europe? I mean on one side helping progress (monks were the first western "scientists") but also halting it ( like the famous Giordano Bruno case and many others)?

The first for sure. Septons were the first historians and probably the first scientists as well. But for the latter, it lacks the power. Unless the High Sparrow is really successful.

[I'm the Party Pooper]

Do you guys believe the Faith of the Seven can have a similar effect to the Catholic church in western Europe? I mean on one side helping progress (monks were the first western "scientists") but also halting it ( like the famous Giordano Bruno case and many others)?

it seems to me that the citadel is right now the strongest opposition to progress.

They unbelievably put an end to knowledge search path of Qyburn.. I mean, it looks like that they enforce a "morale" above science purpose.. in our world instead it has always been a clerical institution who enforced and secured that.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

it seems to me that the citadel is right now the strongest opposition to progress.

They unbelievably put an end to knowledge search path of Qyburn.. I mean, it looks like that they enforce a "morale" above science purpose.. in our world instead it has always been a clerical institution who enforced and secured that.

Meh, Qyburn was torturing and murdering as a focus of that research. A veritable Dr. Mengele. The Citadel swept it under the rug. That's hardly comparable.

[Arakan]

it seems to me that the citadel is right now the strongest opposition to progress.

They unbelievably put an end to knowledge search path of Qyburn.. I mean, it looks like that they enforce a "morale" above science purpose.. in our world instead it has always been a clerical institution who enforced and secured that.

I guess that was irony...was it ;)?

[Real Heir of Bear Island]

This is a thing that bothers me in many fantasy series, its annoying how three thousand years or more can pass and technology will be the same. Even normal humans experienced amazing changes from 8000 BC until 2000 AD and the last 600 years have been just a blur of exponential growth.

At least since the age of heroes, humans should have at least invented cannons and sailships. At the very least.

I do agree they should be a little further along. In other series such as Abercrombie, even though the world is fantasy you hear about lots of technological advances as the books progress.

With that being said, I always assumed the presence of magics and dragons prevent the advancement of new technologies.

[I'm the Party Pooper]

I guess that was irony...was it ;)?

sort of, apparently not well pictured since I've been taken literally lol

[Berric_Dondiedagain]

Technology is not always a forward moving thing in all areas at the same time.

Think about Roman technology- using siege weapons- giant ballista- machines with gears to move things-

Then with the breakdown of the Roman Empire and decentralization- everything becomes localized-

A drastic event- like the plague- can kill off people with the necessary knowledge-

China had some awesome technology in ancient times but fell behind until recent years- They had automatic crossbows-

Ideas get lost when great empires crumble-

For all we know the magic of Volantis could have simply been an advanced society- where after its destruction the "barbarians" seized control

[Rainblade]

Technology is not always a forward moving thing in all areas at the same time.

Think about Roman technology- using siege weapons- giant ballista- machines with gears to move things-

Then with the breakdown of the Roman Empire and decentralization- everything becomes localized-

A drastic event- like the plague- can kill off people with the necessary knowledge-

China had some awesome technology in ancient times but fell behind until recent years- They had automatic crossbows-

Ideas get lost when great empires crumble-

For all we know the magic of Volantis could have simply been an advanced society- where after its destruction the "barbarians" seized control

Hey I love ur name...

The valyrian freehold was more advanced than present day westeros in many ways, before it was destroyed by the doom...

(so far the former valyria is almost the equivalent of the roman empire)

Also, since GoT does have magic, one can assume that valyrians put their efforts into developing sorcery instead of advancing normal technology, so that might be a factor too...

[oopeed]

In additition to the above posters' statements, I would like to point out that it's possible that technological advancement is unevenly dispersed throughout the world.

Gunpowder and cannons, as well as things like printing presses and compasses, started out in China and other Far Eastern societies. It's entirely possible that Yi Ti has these things and they just haven't made it to Westeros yet. We don't get a good view of all the Free Cities, but it's possible that they are more technologically advanced in certain aspects. For example, Myr has a monopoly on the production of high quality glass, just like Venice did. (It hasn't spread throughout the world because they want to maintain their monopoly)

And sailing ships do exist. There a a lot of references towards sails--Salladhor Saan's striped ones, Braavosi purple ones, etc.

Yeah, but this "sailships" suck... They need oars!!! Cersei was so pleased with her big-ass dromonds with oars that would amount to no shit if they come across a real sailship like the HMS Victory or simple carracks like Santa Maria or Henri Grace a Dieu... Yeah, ships require oars to climb upriver as seen on the Battle of

Navigation has been stuck in the first century for almost six thousand years. The Ironborn are the only ones who seem to have reliable warships on sea and even theirs seem very prone to go down. I'm not asking for great battles like trafalgar, but the naval warfare of westeros seems even pathetic against that of the Roman Empire, the Turks and even the Assyrians of old.

They just recently developed such technological advancement!

- they improved the efficiency of wildfire production by several orders of magnitude

- advanced knowledge on the domain of chirurgy and medicine to the point of resurrecting the Mountain

- (re-)discovered an amazing weapon with the unique power of killing off white walkers

That's the sad part. the so called advancements are all dependant on magic... Just pathetic. GRRM should have played a little bit more of Age of Empires 1 and 2, and some Medieval Total War... to understand basic technological advancement.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

Or maybe you should have read the entire thread.

And sailing ships are something to be employed with 1) cannons and 2) on th Atlantic and Pacific. Not along the coasts or in the Narrow Sea with boarding action.

[I'm the Party Pooper]

That's the sad part. the so called advancements are all dependant on magic... Just pathetic. GRRM should have played a little bit more of Age of Empires 1 and 2, and some Medieval Total War... to understand basic technological advancement.

I don't have any problem with it. It's a world where magic exists, so the fact that they discover novel ways to use it (or re-discover) is to me technology advancement.