Discuss innovation with the question, “Would humankind would still be stuck in the stone age if we did not have the incentives provided by profits?”

Question

Discuss innovation with the question, “Would humankind would still be stuck in the stone age if we did not have the incentives provided by profits?”

Answer 1

No, we would not.  We already know that people work for reasons more than money.  This is already proven by the fact that innovation predates the invention of money and mathematics which involve and require the ability to understand symbols.  Money is a symbol of what can be later purchased. 

 

Elephants have been shown to work together to complete tasks that can't be completed alone to get food.  Cooperation to complete a task is innovative but not profitable. 

 

Efficiency is valued by people so innovation to complete tasks faster or better without any difference in the end result does not yield profit.  Someone may argue that it saves time, but time can not really be reduced or increased.  What is gained is actually choice about how to use the saved time.  Unless choice is an example of a type of profit then again, no.  Similar arguments can be made for prestige.