When one looks at the history of geography, the results of years and years of exploration and perspective understanding of the earth can be at times hilarious, and other times impressively precise. The looks of some of the first maps and the process undertaken to get such results is fairly interesting, and like a child, it's accumulation of knowledge shines over time. From the primitive maps to the more modern ones, the gathering and understanding of such information (and sometimes
missunderstanding) one can draw a parallel between human history and human's psychological evolution.
All forms of knowledge in Western Civilization are deeply rooted in Greek history. Greeks often times speculated on different themes and ideas concerning different fields of science while putting the physical world that surrounded them to the test. From the discovery of stars, to the impressive battles and wars they've fought, Greek times ressemble childhood. A child puts the world that surrounds him to the test and fight when ideals aren't meant. A child throws a tantrum, throws objects around and learns to fight. Childhood is filled with world discoveries, bodily discoveries and understanding of spacial distribution and motion.
What follows in the history is the Roman Empire. This was a more refined, more military version of what happen during the Greek ages. Things were more organized and universal knowledge seemed applied. Where Greek's ideas and knowledge would stand trial, Romans had established a certain universal code of Knowledge and people were not to question it as much. When a child becomes a little older and attends school, he is enforced such universal knowledge, which in turn makes him enforce the knowledge unto others. Those who don't understand, or believe others are to be bullied and tormented. This also mirrors the several wars the Roman Empire fought.
After that, Western History falls into the Dark Ages. Although there was some discoveries and advancement in certain fields, the idea of having less expanded empires, more restraint to borrows and castle surroundings and the constant torment those higher in the social ladder is a perfect parallel to teenage years. High school, class distinctions, paranoia and 'deep emotional' problems sort of spell Dark Age. An age where one looks inwards and manages his own little borrow. The world feels miniature, limited to high school and a venturing slightly out of it. It's full of complicated and missunderstood social structures that aren't always logical. It's a time of near loss of knowledge, like sciences, it's the limbo between a full man and a child. "Can't play no more, but can't take responsibility either."
The before last step is the renaissance. The birth of critical analysis in human psychology. The requestionning of values from a wiser point of view and not to mention the establishment of a foundation for the years to come. Renaissance saw the renewed interest for sciences and expansions. The young adult stage also sees such a concept renewed. One cannot 'play' like a child, but can once again look upon the tools, toys and thought processes that a child holds and learn from them to establish a clearer understanding of oneself. It's a philosophical era, but it's also an experimental era. One now holds the responsibility and understanding
of knowledge to properly experiment with the world around and concepts within.
The last step is modern times. Take what you know, pass it on and push it further. Build on top of current knowledge to help humanity as a whole is the goal. Then, teach such knowledge so future generations can push it further some more. The cycle begins anew.
Sciences through history and psychology of an individual has evolved almost in the exact same way. The evolution of all of the human race is comparable to the evolution of a sole individual, which, is quite an interesting feature. From the birth of Western Civilization, to the creation of the latest iPod, one can be reminded of the hard work a single individual puts into his own development.