The Most Successful Information Technology in History Is the One We Barely Notice: Books
By Kevin Dickinson, Big Think – January 6, 2026
When considering the greatest information technologies throughout history, what often comes to mind are inventions like the printing press, the microchip, or the internet. However, one of the most impactful and enduring information technologies is so familiar to us that it usually escapes our attention — the humble book.
Joel Miller, author of The Idea Machine, proposes a thought-provoking perspective in his exploration of books not just as vessels for ideas but as an information technology that has profoundly expanded human cognition over millennia.
Books as Information Technology
At first glance, the concept of a book as a “technology” might seem obvious, yet it is one we rarely consciously appreciate. Despite showing up on few lists of groundbreaking inventions — unlike the printing press or paper — books have radically shaped human civilization through their unique capacity to preserve, share, and evolve ideas across time and space.
Miller explains that the key to why books are so successful is precisely because they have become so seamless and commonplace that we often overlook their power. “It’s the success of the book which makes us not even think about it,” he said in an interview. Unlike newer digital technologies, books are deeply embedded in everyday life, quietly enabling the expansion of knowledge without fanfare.
Augustine’s Epiphany
Miller begins his book with an evocative historical anecdote about Augustine of Hippo, whose experience with reading The Confessions illuminates how books function beyond simply transmitting ideas. Augustine’s story captures a transformative moment where, upon randomly opening a book to a passage from the Apostle Paul, he finds the guidance that leads to his spiritual conversion. Notably, Augustine marks his place in the book with a finger — a simple but powerful act.
This act of marking a place reveals the essence of books as technology: they not only preserve ideas but create a platform for interaction, reflection, and connection. By marking passages, comparing texts, and returning repeatedly to the written word, readers engage in a dialogue that bridges authors separated by time and space. Augustine himself used writing as a method to develop and refine his thoughts, extending his cognitive reach beyond what could be achieved by memory alone.
Books as Hardware and Software
Miller draws an analogy between books and computers to help grasp their multifaceted nature. The “hardware” of a book includes its physical components — the ink, paper, binding — while the “software” consists of the ideas embedded within the text. Books preserve ideas so that they can be revisited, expanded, and debated long after the original author’s lifetime.
This preservation is a kind of “casual necromancy,” as Miller humorously puts it, allowing human minds to connect with thoughts across centuries. Books encapsulate a vast array of information: scientific theories, personal philosophies, historical accounts, laws, and even imaginative worlds.
The Evolution of the Book’s Form
The development of the physical form of books has also played a crucial role in enhancing their utility and accessibility. Early writing mediums such as clay tablets and papyrus scrolls had significant limitations. Clay tablets were heavy and cumbersome, and papyrus scrolls, often exceeding 100 feet in length, made finding specific passages a difficult and time-consuming endeavor.
The transition to the codex — the familiar book form with pages — revolutionized reading by enabling easier navigation, bookmarking, and cross-referencing. This structural evolution transformed books into more efficient carriers of knowledge, facilitating their role as powerful cognitive tools.
From Darwin to Modern Thought
Books have allowed ideas to evolve and mature. Miller cites Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species as a prime example. Darwin’s theory of evolution began as a tentative hunch during his voyage on the HMS Beagle, developed over time through journal entries and correspondence, before being articulated fully in his groundbreaking book.
The book enabled Darwin’s ideas to be critiqued, refined, and expanded by subsequent generations of thinkers. For instance, the integration of Mendelian genetics with evolutionary theory was made possible through the ongoing conversation facilitated by the written word. Books thus act as cumulative vessels of human thought that extend and amplify individual cognition, helping to lift the human mind beyond its natural limits.
Books Versus AI and the Future of Information
While emerging technologies like generative AI show promise in helping humans manage the overwhelming flood of information today, Miller asserts that books retain irreplaceable qualities. They transmit the human experience in a tangible way and sustain the critical thinking essential to healthy societies.
Books offer something uniquely profound — a sustained, reflective engagement with ideas that supports intellectual development over time rather than instant consumption or quick summaries. This enduring value of books reminds us that successful information technology need not be flashy or new; sometimes, its quiet, persistent presence shapes our world in the most significant ways.
In sum, books represent history’s most successful information technology — a tool that has underpinned human progress by enabling us to store, share, and elaborate on ideas across generations. Their humble presence belies their vast impact. As Joel Miller’s The Idea Machine compellingly argues, the story of human knowledge is, in many ways, the story of the book.
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