Maybe this should be under the previous post

Posted by Word Camel on November 22, 2002

In Reply to: Necessity is the mother of Invention posted by Brian Sandine on November 22, 2002

: After further research, it appears that this quotation can be traced to Plato's Republic, book II, 369C, which was written 360 B.C.

: When Socrates and Adeimantus discuss the origin of the State (and the nature of justice and injustice as they appear in the ideal State), Socrates makes two statements:
: " A State, I said, arises, as I conceive, out of the needs of mankind". . ."let us begin and create in idea a State; and yet the true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention."