The Myth of the Machine: The pentagon of powerHarcourt, Brace & World, 1970 - Technology and civilization An in-depth look at the forces that have shaped modern technology since prehistoric times. Mumford criticizes the modern trend of technology, which emphasizes constant, unrestricted expansion, production, and replacement. He contends that these goals work against technical perfection, durability, social efficiency, and overall human satisfaction. Modern technology fails to produce lasting, quality products by using devices such as consumer credit, installment buying, non-functioning and defective designs, built-in fragility, and frequent superficial "fashion" changes. "Without constant enticement by advertising," he writes, "production would slow down and level off to normal replacement demand. Otherwise many products could reach a plateau of efficient design which would call for only minimal changes from year to year." |
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Page 53
... Galileo's work which radically modified man's sense of his own unique place in the cosmos and con- tributed to the exploitation of every manner of technical facility . Galileo took up and developed an observation that his younger col ...
... Galileo's work which radically modified man's sense of his own unique place in the cosmos and con- tributed to the exploitation of every manner of technical facility . Galileo took up and developed an observation that his younger col ...
Page 57
... GALILEO Though Galileo's interpretation of planetary movements led to a charge of heresy by the Roman Catholic Church , the heresy that he was accused of was one he did not utter . As he plaintively put it at the end of the ' Dia ...
... GALILEO Though Galileo's interpretation of planetary movements led to a charge of heresy by the Roman Catholic Church , the heresy that he was accused of was one he did not utter . As he plaintively put it at the end of the ' Dia ...
Page 61
... Galileo awakened , we can infer how necessary his innovations were . " Oh , my dear Kepler , " Galileo wrote to his colleague , " how I wish that we could have one hearty laugh together ! Here at Padua is a principal pro- fessor of ...
... Galileo awakened , we can infer how necessary his innovations were . " Oh , my dear Kepler , " Galileo wrote to his colleague , " how I wish that we could have one hearty laugh together ! Here at Padua is a principal pro- fessor of ...
Contents
NEW EXPLORATIONS NEW WORLDS | 3 |
RETURN OF THE SUN GOD | 28 |
THE MECHANIZED WORLD PICTURE | 51 |
Copyright | |
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absolute abstract achieved activities actually already ancient atom automatic automation Bacon become biological Christian civilization Comenius communication contemporary cosmic culture demands Descartes destruction dream economy economy of abundance effect electronic energy environment established evolution existence experience exploration extermination fact fantasies final forces Francis Bacon functions further future Galileo habitat Henry Adams idea ideological immense increase industrial institutions intelligence invention Kepler knowledge labor limited machine man's mass production mechanical world picture megamachine megatechnics ment merely method military mind mode modern moral nature nineteenth century noösphere Norbert Wiener nuclear observed once original Patrick Geddes physical planet plenitude political absolutism population possible potentialities power complex power system practical present progress purpose Pyramid Age quantity reality result scientific scientists social society space subjective symbolic technical Technics and Civilization technocratic tion totalitarian transformation turn ultimate utopia whole York