blog #13

Haydee Ramirez

English 1101

Professor Harris

25 April 2020 

Is Thomas Edison responsible for the light bulb?

Imagine living in the world without light, other than the sun’s rays. The light we flicker on and off in our homes came along way since the 1800s. We use the invention of lightbulbs constantly during our lifetime, but have you ever wondered whose famous face hides behind this life changing invention? The lightbulb idea had many takers and many improvements added one after another. However, should we give the credit to those who made it happen or the one with the bright idea? When it is broken down, Thomas Edison invented the infamous lightbulb. Another question that is popular is as follows…what should be taken into consideration whether someone should be credited for the discovery of an idea or the invention of the idea? Innovations from previous lightbulb inventions/ideas, accessibility to more money for better supply, help from a team of experts; are all key factors whether the inventors really deserve recognition. With the help of scientists, theorists, articles, and textbooks we can gather information from all the inventors who helped produce the final product. Inventors like Joseph Wilson Swan, Henry Woodward, and Mathew Evans helped make major contributions to the lightbulb invention. Because of all these attributes, Thomas Edison invented the light bulb as he improved and commercialized the technology. After all, the rule of thumb is that discoveries apply to things that have long existed, while inventions – to things that have never existed in the past.

            One crucial understanding is that without the fundamentals of the previous lightbulbs, Thomas Edison possibly would not have been successful with his patent. As we look way back, there were infamous scientists that worked on having a successful light bulb, but each came with an issue. For example, in 1879, Italian inventor Alessandro Volta developed the first practical method of generating electricity, the voltaic pile (“Who Invented the Light Bulb?” LiveScience.) This served as one of the earliest manifestations of the incandescent lighting. Shortly after Vola’s discovery, English chemist and inventor, Humphry Davy produced the world’s first electric lamp. Humphry Davy’s arc lamp was just a closer improvement to Volta’s discovery. However, Davy’s lamp was said to burn out to quickly and too bright for home living and work. After this, the 1800’s boomed with a development of many other electric lamps and bulbs. There was a British scientist named Warren de la Rue, whom designed a lightbulb using coiled platinum filament, but failed because it was too expensive to commercialize. Similarly, English man William Staite’s lamps failed because the batteries used to power them were also too expensive. Soon came the 1850’s, English chemist Joseph Swan, who tackled the cost-effectiveness problems from previous inventors. His idea was to replace platinum filaments with carbonized filaments. While his prototype invention was a success, it was impractical in usage. Finally, Thomas Edison realized Swan’s problem. Thomas Edison figured that a thin filament with a high electrical resistance would make a lamp practical because it would require only a little current to make it glow. With this discovery, Swan improved his lamps and founded an electrical company. Thomas Edison sued for patent infringement (“Do You Know Who Really Invented the Light Bulb?”) The two soon joined forces and created the Edison-Swan united, which served as the world’s largest manufacturers of lightbulbs. Behind their success, two inventors Henry Woodward and Mathew Evans also had a patent, but failed to commercialize their lamps, having to sell their patents to Thomas Edison (“History of the Light Bulb: Lighting Basics.” Bulbs.com.) When Thomas started to design the lightbulb, he was far from the first person to try. Instead, he was the first to commercialize a lightbulb that was effective.

 One advantage Edison had compared to the other inventors, was his wealth. He had already had previous inventions made before this incandescent, electric light. Edison’s wealth came from the infamous telegraph and the tin foil phonograph. This placed Edison at a higher advantage because there were no issues gaining expensive supplies, with a great quantity and quality. Warren de la rue, could not further his invention because the cost of platinum was too high to commercialize. Has he had the money Thomas Edison had, he could have had success? William Staite invention could not surpass because the cost of the batteries used to power them reduced the budget for his commercial projects. Thomas Edison had all the money, to gain all the supplies, the workers, the labs, and researchers he needed. It had cost $40,000 (about $850,000 in today's money.)

Another advantage Edison Had was his vast team of researches and high-tech equipment in his fancy lab. He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. Edison and his team of researchers in Menlo Park, N.J., where the lab was located, tested more than 3,000 designs for bulbs between 1878 and 1880.William Joseph Hammer, a consulting electrical engineer, started working for Edison and began his duties as a laboratory assistant in December 1879.Unlike other inventors who had no accessibility to scientist and researchers working endlessly, their inventions were done single handily, which resulted in too much time consumption and less ideas. Edison was the only lightbulb inventor who had access to such an expensive team. 

On the contrary, many believe that Edison’s unfair advantages gave him more likelihood to produce a successful lightbulb. If other inventors had the same access to all of Edison’s, they too could’ve been successful. Also, those believe that said person who came up with the idea simply deserves all the credit to the invention. Those who oppose, say that said person to have a working invention, is whom deserves the recognition. When all is said and done… Thomas Edison used his attributes and it benefited him to success. Thomas Edison was a very intelligent man, who self-made all his inventions. Edison's bulb was more successful because he created a complete vacuum inside the bulb, and he used a better filament.

Unluckily, recognition for major inventions is not negotiated by historians: it matters upon markets, circumstance, and popularity, potencies not bound by precision. If people attempted to make the incandescent light bulb function, who deserves the credit? Should they be credited for the idea itself? Have a model? Would it matter how long the model stay alight? How bright it burned? In conclusion, Thomas Edison deserves his easy recognition for his invention. He demonstrated merit to earn his way up to have accessibility to anything he desires. With the use of smart tactics, he accomplished his invention. None of which would’ve been possible without his efforts and previous success from previous inventions. 

One of Edison’s perfected light bulbs.

Work Cited

Palermo, Elizabeth. “Who Invented the Light Bulb?” LiveScience, Purch, 17 Aug. 2017,www.livescience.com/43424-who-invented-the-light-bulb.html.

“History of the Light Bulb: Lighting Basics.” Bulbs.com, www.bulbs.com/learning/history.aspx.

“Do You Know Who Really Invented the Light Bulb?” Awesome Image, 20 Apr. 2020,www.blueappleelectric.com/do-you-know-who-really-invented-the-light-bulb/.