"...reasoning within the world's cultures… The Elves made art, not industry. Their products seemed magical. They were at an esthetically, not mechanically, high level. Sam's rope un-knotted itself and came back to him because he asked it to.
Men fought too many wars. The Númenoreans probably advanced, but they destroyed themselves. Many men lived in tribal savagery like the Dunlendings. For men to really innovate, they need money, time, safety, and higher education. The Lore-masters of Gondor were mostly interested in historical or spiritual matters (“musing on heraldry”).
Dwarves limited their innovations to arms and stonework. Hand weapons and armor were their products because that was what their customers wanted.
The whole thing is not unreasonable. Egypt did not develop high technology despite thousands of years of civilization, either. The place was so rich that they didn't need it. Necessity is the mother of invention, and they just didn't have enough need. Perhaps Middle-Earth was really fertile and they were the same way."
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