🧠 On the Shoulders of Giants: From Medieval Insight to Modern Innovation

Most attribute the phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants” to Isaac Newton, who wrote in a 1676 letter to his rival Robert Hooke:

“If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”

But Newton was not the originator. Over 500 years earlier, John of Salisbury—a 12th-century philosopher and bishop—used the metaphor in his 1159 treatise Metalogicon:

“We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior... but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours.”

This elegant analogy captures the essence of intellectual progress: each generation builds upon the insights of those who came before. It’s not superiority—it’s elevation.

📚 From Manuscripts to Megabytes

In the modern world, the “giants” have grown taller. Their shoulders are broader, their reach more expansive. We live in an era where centuries of literature, research, and innovation are accessible with a few keystrokes. The hard work of discovery hasn’t ended—it’s simply changed form.

We are dwarfs with telescopes, microscopes, and databases. The world can be brought to us, and questions once unthinkable can now be answered. But this abundance demands discernment. As Jacque Fresco once said:

“The uncreative mind can spot the wrong answers, but it takes a very creative mind to spot the wrong questions.”

💡 The Real Question

Fresco’s insight leads us to a critical reframing:

The question has never been: Do we have the money? The question has always been: Do we have the resources?

This distinction is vital. Money is a construct—resources are reality. Political debates often orbit around budgets and deficits, while ignoring the tangible capacities of our societies: energy, labor, materials, and knowledge.

🌍 A Call to Creative Inquiry

To truly honor the giants, we must not merely inherit their knowledge—we must challenge it, expand it, and apply it wisely. The legacy of thinkers like Newton and Salisbury isn’t just in their words, but in their willingness to ask better questions.

We are dwarfs, yes—but dwarfs with unprecedented tools and access. The view from here is vast. Let’s not waste it.