[David Sklansky]

"Another methodology we can use stems from the second part of David S.’s answer to my question “are all scientific breakthrough based on at least some prior science knowledge”. His answer was something like this: other than (possibly ) the theory of relativity all other breakthroughs could be traced back to man himself (not from thin air)."

I am not an expert on this subject. Plus you misquoted me. I said I was TOLD that the GENERAL (as opposed to the SPECIAL) Theory of Relativity was possibly a long way off from being discovered if Einstein hadn't done it. And I'm fairly sure there were other breakthroughs in that category but I am not familiar with them.