Future of Na'vi Technology

[markus031098]

I was just wondering... If the Na'vi were given another few thousand years to evolve, without the humans making contact, how would their technology evolve on its own? They would have to make electronic signals differently to compensate for the unobtanium magnetic fields, they would have many object made differently because of their queue and tail, and what would happen if they got to the stage humans are at in 2152? Would they be colonising the other moons of Polyphemus? Also, how would their culture evolve?

[Human No More]

Na'vi culture is older than humanity. They have had no need to develop anything else because their population is stable.

[Ftxavanga Txe′lan]

I'm personally convinced that the Na'vi are never going to turn like the humans did. As mentioned by Human No More, the Na'vi culture is very old, and I believe nor the Sawtute, nor anything else would really change their technology in an enormous and definitive way. Maybe the humans would have brought problems to the planet by taking Unobtainium, but do we have any proof that this would be in a sufficient amount to suggest that the Na'vi might have to evolve in order to cope with the loss? Furthermore, I think that, even if they got problems and had difficulties fulfilling their needs on Pandora, they would probably not go away and colonize other moons. I don't know if the Na'vi's concept of Ewya goes as far as other planets or moons, but my perception is that they are ultimately bound to Pandora because the whole moon (including the fauna and the flaura) is Eywa's child, just like they are.  

[Amaya]

As someone with training in anthropology, I concur with the previous two posts.  As far as technological advancement goes, Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention.  Cultural advancements will go as far as the available resources will allow a people, at which point some advancement in technology may come into play, allowing the culture further development, and so on.  In Hawaii and other polynesian, melanesian and micronesian cultures, for example, the concept of the wheel was never developed because the people there were primarily sea-faring; here on the west coast of North America, the peoples of our temperate rainforest were able to attain a cultural level of sophistocation equivalent to the "kingdom level" (if I'm remembering correctly) without ever advancing technologically past the neolithic (no real metalworking except decorative uses of copper) due to the relatively easy access to a wide variety of foods and the temperate climate.

Thus, given their level of balance within their environment, I see no reason for the Na'vi to make any sort of technological advancements.

[Kea peyral]

Here it is.  The simple answer.

Greed fuels human evolutionary advances in technology.

Na'vi are simple tribes.  Happy in the life they have.  They are not infected with greed.

[Toruk Makto]

I wonder if there really isn't any, or if we just haven't seen an example of any yet...?

[Duma Vadamee {Aungia Tsawkeyä}]

I'm personally convinced that the Na'vi are never going to turn like the humans did. As mentioned by Human No More, the Na'vi culture is very old, and I believe nor the Sawtute, nor anything else would really change their technology in an enormous and definitive way. Maybe the humans would have brought problems to the planet by taking Unobtainium, but do we have any proof that this would be in a sufficient amount to suggest that the Na'vi might have to evolve in order to cope with the loss? Furthermore, I think that, even if they got problems and had difficulties fulfilling their needs on Pandora, they would probably not go away and colonize other moons. I don't know if the Na'vi's concept of Ewya goes as far as other planets or moons, but my perception is that they are ultimately bound to Pandora because the whole moon (including the fauna and the flaura) is Eywa's child, just like they are. 

As someone with training in anthropology, I concur with the previous two posts.  As far as technological advancement goes, Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention.  Cultural advancements will go as far as the available resources will allow a people, at which point some advancement in technology may come into play, allowing the culture further development, and so on.  In Hawaii and other polynesian, melanesian and micronesian cultures, for example, the concept of the wheel was never developed because the people there were primarily sea-faring; here on the west coast of North America, the peoples of our temperate rainforest were able to attain a cultural level of sophistocation equivalent to the "kingdom level" (if I'm remembering correctly) without ever advancing technologically past the neolithic (no real metalworking except decorative uses of copper) due to the relatively easy access to a wide variety of foods and the temperate climate.

Thus, given their level of balance within their environment, I see no reason for the Na'vi to make any sort of technological advancements.

Here it is.  The simple answer.

Greed fuels human evolutionary advances in technology.

Na'vi are simple tribes.  Happy in the life they have.  They are not infected with greed.

agree with all three. i very much doubt that they would of advanced vary far.

[Kamean]

agree with all three.

And I too.

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

Although necessity is the mother of all invention, a lot of 'invention' occurred because of curiosity about our world. The Na`vi certainly are intelligent enough to have this criosity. So I am going to differ from everyone else here, and say that the Na`vi would advance technologically, but perhaps more slowly than we did. They are already (according to the ASG) showing the first signs of transitioning from hunter-gatherers to farmers.

I also suspect that there are varying levels of technology among the various Na`vi clans. Some will have developed things that other tribes would have not thought of because they have a need for these things. (I like to fantasize that there is an advanced Na`vi culture, with lots of technology, on the other side of Pandora that is well-hidden enough that they have yet to be discovered.)

As far as greed, selfish ambition, etc. there is plenty of evidence to suggest that it is rare, but certainly not unheard of. Why else would they know war strategy, have a 'military register' of language, and words for 'war' and 'warrior'?

[Human No More]

Although necessity is the mother of all invention, a lot of 'invention' occurred because of curiosity about our world. The Na`vi certainly are intelligent enough to have this criosity. So I am going to differ from everyone else here, and say that the Na`vi would advance technologically, but perhaps more slowly than we did. They are already (according to the ASG) showing the first signs of transitioning from hunter-gatherers to farmers.

No, they aren't ''transitioning'. The development of agriculture was in order to provide for an increasing population. The Na'vi population is stable. The inherent destructiveness of agriculture and the balanced approach of the Na'vi are completely at odds too. Na'vi society has been stable at the same level for an EXTREMELY long time.

I also suspect that there are varying levels of technology among the various Na`vi clans. Some will have developed things that other tribes would have not thought of because they have a need for these things. (I like to fantasize that there is an advanced Na`vi culture, with lots of technology, on the other side of Pandora that is well-hidden enough that they have yet to be discovered.)

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/1811/doublefacepalmo.jpg
Seriously... this is one of the worst ideas I have heard. Plus with the neural network,  secrecy and unknown areas will not occur. The existence of Na'vi technology firstly makes no sense in terms of being hidden or limited, and secondly completely ruins both the message and the difference between the Na'vi and humans.

As far as greed, selfish ambition, etc. there is plenty of evidence to suggest that it is rare, but certainly not unheard of. Why else would they know war strategy, have a 'military register' of language, and words for 'war' and 'warrior'?

Conflict between Na'vi clans occasionally occurred in the past, but has become increasingly rare.
Many of such words are likely in response to invasion by humans anyway.