What if Alexander Graham Bell Did Not Invent the Telephone - Essay Example

What if Alexander Graham Bell Did Not Invent the Telephone 0 Introduction The modern concept of communication, which uses technology to bridge distance, dates back doubtlessly from the invention of the telephone. Although we would not disregard the invention of movable typewriter, newspapers, printing press and fax machines, the introduction of electric telephone made oral communication from a particular location to a distant location in the world possible. High-end communication devices at present are products of a gradual and consistent innovation of telephone to become cellular phones or the so-called wireless communication devices. Now, consumers are no longer satisfied with the primitive capacity and purpose of telephones or cellular phones which is to be able to hear and talk to important people. With the invention of Internet by Tim Berners-Lee, phones are now capable of surfing the Web, tracking locations, and capturing images. Now, we ask, would we have the kind of luxury and convenience in doing our everyday tasks if, first and foremost, no one invented the telephone? What if Alexander Graham Bell did not think of creating a magnificent machine that allows people to speak to people separated by geographical distance? Well, the answer might vary and would depend on probabilities, like other inventors in the likes of Joseph Henry, who invented the electric telegraph, or Thomas Edison, could actually thought of inventing the telephone. A reluctant response might be that cellular phones are impossible to surface, and the Internet remains a mystery to the humanity. This essay attempts to present the possibilities if Alexander Graham Bell had never created the electric telephone, and highlights the importance of this invention to humanity’s history. 2.0 What If the Telephone Had Never Been Invented? Alexander Graham Bell Works Wonder Contrary to the common notion that only Bell thought of a way to invent telephone, many inventors made the prototype for a machine that will transmit sound waves through electricity. Among them were Johann Philipp Reis who was categorically called “the first inventor” of the telephone which he called the Reis telephone in 1860 (Munro 99) and Antonio Meucci who also was credited for the invention of telephone in 1850 (Meucci 9). Meucci, among other telephone inventors, was reportedly the first “to have a functioning electric telephone” which he attempted to patent (Meucci 9). Then there was Elisha Gray who was also regarded as the one who first patented the telephone close with Bell’s filing of patency in 1876 (Evenson 3). There were conspiracies regarding who really is to be credited for the telephone’s invention, but the federal government credited Alexander Graham Bell for patenting the telephone’s creation (Evenson 3). Alexander Graham Bell undoubtedly has been part of the pages of world history. Bell is a notable inventor, scientist, and teacher. Born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Bell was known for his pet name Alec (Feinstein 1). His contemporary, Samuel Morse, also invented a communication device, which was the telegraph, which enables the transmission of electrical impulses that result in dots and dashes (Feinstein 10). These dots and dashes represent the letters of the alphabet and can be interpreted using the Morse code (Feinstein 11). Although he received a patent in 1840, Morse’s electric telegraph had certain shortcomings. It did not cater the needs of ordinary people since it cannot be connected to their respective homes, and second, it was quite expensive. Feinstein wrote that, while the telegraph was a big leap towards the advances in communication, Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone “truly conquered time and distance” and “create a world in which people were as close to each other as the nearest phone” (19). 3.0 Period of Natural Science and Technology Early and late nineteenth century was a period marked by the fall of European and Asian empires and the rise of the German, British, American, and Japanese empires. Paletschek used different names in associating this era: “century of bourgeoisie, century of nations, century of industrialization, and century of natural science and technology” (34). The last century name highlights the rise of scientific discoveries that changed the course of our history. There was a “communication revolution” especially due to the invention of the telegraph and the telephone (Paletschek 34). Since the period of industrialization was marked by the sprout of factories and an expanding trade and industry during the nineteenth century, the telephone and other communication devices proved to facilitate an organized and efficient conduct of business. If the telephone had not been invented, the telegraph would be used as a mass communication device, but there are backlashes to it. Communicating to distant places would only be entitled to those who can afford to connect the device into their homes. Ordinary worker cannot afford to install the device with his or her meager earnings. An expected result will be that sending information to distant relatives is nearly impossible, or perhaps the cost would discourage people to constantly exchange information. In other words, there would be walls that divide us and bridges that will never be crossed. It was noted in history that the invention of telegraph involved a big amount of money. Moreover, its costly improvements marked the beginning of a “booming industry” (Mercer 26). Unexpectedly, other inventions, such as the telephone, were also considered being significant if they were to be given attention (Mercer 26). Unlike the telegraph, the telephone patented by Bell assured anybody else of a real time communication, which means that the person at the other end of the line receives and hears one’s message simultaneously with the time the words are uttered. In other words, the telephone fulfilled what the telegraph was not able to provide, at the same time, it was inexpensive that ordinary people can own it. 4.0 No telephone During the Industrial Revolution... What If? When we talk about the Industrial Revolution, we talk about business. Today’s snappy transactions in the conduct of business prove to result to increase in sales and profits. The telephone also enhanced the way customers are treated as an important component of trading. Business operators now receive feedback from customers which are of course valuable. Furthermore, the telephone redefines and adds another dimension to selling. A store representative can now sell the company’s products over the phone, in the same way that the customer can choose products using this medium. So basing from the convenience it gives to today’s conduct of business, what could have happened to industries during the Industrial Revolution if telephone was not invented? Certainly, the Industrial Revolution still takes place, but its pace will likely be turtle-like. We see that the telephone, which uses wires in order to transmit sound waves, is the predecessor of another important innovation in the 21st century, the Internet. Dating back in August 1877, if Alexander Graham Bell had not successfully patented his electric telephone, the Bell Telephone Company would not have been formed, (“Telephone-Invention” par. 5) and giant telecommunication companies and computer stores in the modern times will not exist. Moreover, the Industrial Revolution will not be so-called as such because it was not entirely a revolution without communication technology breakthroughs. We would not have today a “general” and universal concept of a telephone system (“Telephone-Invention” par. 6). This system allows people to use their voice in order to communicate with people amidst the distant locations without using “any special skills” (Telephone-Invention” par. 6). The telephone’s struggle to perfection was put to an end when continued innovations resulted to the discovery of copper wires instead of iron in making possible the so-called long-distance telephony (“Telephone-Invention” par. 8). The invention of telephone made other inventions matched with enhancing the service of telephone. When radio transmission was discovered, it enabled the making of “wireless telephone links” that created the global telephone system that we have today and later on facilitated the growth of wireless cable (“Telephone-Invention” par. 8). Because of those significant developments, the first-ever telephone satellite was launched and started to provide signals when television was invented (“Telephone-Invention” par. 9). If not for the invention of telephone, we would never have a fast exchange of ideas, information, and news. Telephone played a significant role during the important and significant events reported by various newspapers. People would have relied on the turtle-pace of news exchange during the World War II, Vietnam War, Watergate Scandal, among other relevant instances. In most movies that depict historical events, the telephone was well-portrayed as the device that leads to the discovery of information, as well as in the process of searching for information. As a whole, the telephone is a very important invention that changed the course of humanity’s history. Conclusion No phenomenal words, such as ‘call’ and ‘hello,’ might have been closely associated with telephone. Aside from these minor observations, the general picture of the telephone is viewed in terms of its contribution to the history of human communication. If you think about it, how could it be possible to live without a tool for communication? At present, this query can be modified into, how could it possible to live without using cellular phones and telephones? This question is indeed very much reflective of the importance of the telephone into people’s lives. This device is apparently considered an extension of the body that what your feet cannot deal with distance, the telephone is able to bring your feet to the person you want to communicate with. Works Cited Evenson, Edward. The Telephone Patent Conspiracy of 1876: The Elisha Gray-Alexander Bell Controversy and Its Many Players. North Carolina: McFarland & Company Publishers, 2000. Print. Feinstein, Stephen. Alexander Graham Bell: The Genius behind the Phone. New York: Enslow Publishers, 2008. Print. Mercer, David. The Telephone: The Life Story of a Technology. Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Print. Meucci, Sarah. The Man Who Invented the Telephone: Antonio and the Electric Scream. Boston: Branden Books, 2010. Print. Munro, Joseph. Heroes of the Telegraph. New York: Kessinger Publication, 2004. Print. Paletschek, Sylvia. Ed. Popular Historiographies in the 19th and 20th Centuries: Cultural Meanings, Social Practices. Germany: Berghahn Books, 2011. Print. “Telephone- Invention and Historical Development of the Telephone.” Net Industries. Net Industries and Its Licensors, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . Read More