Origin
Based on the line “Necessity, who is the mother of invention” in The Republic written by Plato (Greek author and philosopher, 427-347BC).
Explanation
It means, roughly, that the primary driving force for most new inventions is a need. This proverb statement tells that whatever man proposes as his objective to achieve by exercising his will-power, efforts and intellectual potentialities, there is a limit to his abilities and there is some supernatural power–God-to determine the shape of things and its end. Sometimes or most of the times, the end may be against man’s proposal.
People very often use this statement during their conversation. Man can place before himself a lofty objective and can strive hard to achieve it by putting forth all his efforts and other possibilities. But there is a limit to man’s abilities. It has been well said. There is a supernatural power that determines the shape of things and that power. God shapes the end of our objective too. Man can only propose to achieve something and toil himself towards the achievement. Even the achievement itself is not in his hands. Of course, the ancient Greek critic, Heraclites, says, “Man is the architect of his own destiny”.
Examples
When the fan belt on Linda’s car broke in the middle of the desert, Linda used her stockings as a replacement. Necessity is the mother of invention.
We can’t afford expensive paper to paint on, so we use old envelopes and newspapers. They do say necessity is the mother of invention.
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