What are the true paths of a civilization (Score 1)

As long as the game has been around (and I've played since the beginning) the technologies, units, civilizations, and gameplay mechanics have gotten better and better. Yet, one thing remains the same. There are truly only two ways to successfully play your civ, from an overall perspective. You are either specializing in science, or you are specializing in building your military. Civ3 made a stab at breaking the mold by enabling culture to become a primary factor in the development of a civilization. Yet, culuture is almost always a side effect of the civ that is most dedicated to developing its science. The civ that focuses on its military is best off focusing entirely on its military so as to increase the chances of victory (we all know that extra unit of two makes a huge difference when attempting to take an adequately defended city). And even beyond that, there's no reason to focus on science, since you will most likely (if you are truly making war with another civ) not be able to keep up scientifically with the others civs who aren't at war, and hence won't be able to complete the wonders in time. So, you usually end up focuses on units and threatening other civs until they hand over their technologies to you. The major point here is that these seem to be the two only true paths (or ways of playing) in the game. It's true that the tech tree allows you progress with some customization, but this is really only allowing the player to choose which tech is developed first, since there are all needed in order to progress to the next age. Isn't there more to a civilization than if it is scientifically or militarally specialized. Shouldn't there be an incentive to play as real world civilizations have been able to play out be rewarded for this. Or am I only inticed to play in one of these two ways because of my desire to be the best at one, rather than second best at either? Is it just me? Or does that game set us up to play that way? Or, on the largest scale, is that the mind of man, to want to conquer and be the 'best', no matter which path we are on?