The substance that, through a chemical reaction, allows a different substance to be obtained is called a precursor.
The Latin word praecursor derived from precursor , an adjective that names that which precedes or is placed in front . It is a term that is made up of the following parts:
-The prefix “pre-”, which can be translated as “before”.
-The noun “cursus”, which is equivalent to “career”.
-The suffix “-or”, which means “agent”.
The pioneers
A precursor individual, therefore, is one who is a pioneer in some area or who has ideas that will only be accepted in the future.
For example: “The German artist was a precursor in combining these materials,” “These lands were uninhabited when my grandfather arrived: he was a precursor in the urbanization of this region,” “I am not interested in being a precursor: I prefer to be understood.” now and accept my proposals.”
Suppose a football technical director develops tactics that, until then, no one had implemented. Over the years, these tactics begin to be adopted by teams around the world. It could be said, in this way, that the DT who developed them for the first time was a precursor.
Paul Cézanne is mentioned as the precursor of Cubism.
Pioneers in art
In many fields there are people who are considered precursors of the same. Thus, for example, in cinema we find Nicéphore Niepce who, in 1827, developed the first successful photographic process or Eadweard Muybridge, who carried out studies on chronophotography that allowed the creation of cinematography.
In the field of painting, for its part, we come across the existence of three artists who are considered the precursors of three pictorial movements:
-Paul Gauguin (1848 – 1903), who was the precursor of Fauvism.
-Paul Cézanne (1839 – 1906), who is credited with being the precursor of Cubism.
-Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890), the precursor of German Expressionism.
On the other hand, in the field of music there are many people considered precursors of genre, styles or compositions. Thus, for example, in the case of the blues this “title” was granted to several figures, such as Robert Johnson (1911 – 1938), John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson (1914 – 1948) or Little Walter (1930 – 1968).
Chemical precursors
A chemical precursor , on the other hand, is a substance that is needed to obtain a different substance from a chemical reaction . This notion is usually used in relation to substances used to synthesize illegal drugs.
Ephedrine , to cite an example, is a chemical precursor that is used to produce amphetamines and ecstasy ( a drug also known as crystal).
The concept in religion
In the field of religion , precursors are people who dedicate themselves to preaching and spreading a doctrine with the intention of adding new adherents to their faith. The term is used by Jehovah's Witnesses to describe those who walk the streets to spread the movement.
However, we must not forget the figure of Saint John the Baptist either. And it is considered that this was a precursor of what would become Christianity since he was born before Christ but announced his arrival.