The Myth of the Machine: Technics and human developmentAn 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 27
For that final purposeful act , the whole apparatus , physical and neural , is
indispensable : yet the most minute analysis of the brain tissue , along with the
phonograph ' s mechanical paraphernalia , would still throw no light upon the
emotional ...
For that final purposeful act , the whole apparatus , physical and neural , is
indispensable : yet the most minute analysis of the brain tissue , along with the
phonograph ' s mechanical paraphernalia , would still throw no light upon the
emotional ...
Page 31
Yet this whole picture of cosmic evolution in terms of quantitative physical
existence , with its immeasurable time and immeasurable space , reads quite
differently if one returns to the center , where the scientific picture has been put
together ...
Yet this whole picture of cosmic evolution in terms of quantitative physical
existence , with its immeasurable time and immeasurable space , reads quite
differently if one returns to the center , where the scientific picture has been put
together ...
Page 337
173 Phonograph , as brainmind model , 27 Physical conditions , man ' s
subservience to , 34 Physical models , 44 Physical organs , reconstruction of , 6
Physical power , coercive , Physical surroundings , traditional , 106 Physical
universe ...
173 Phonograph , as brainmind model , 27 Physical conditions , man ' s
subservience to , 34 Physical models , 44 Physical organs , reconstruction of , 6
Physical power , coercive , Physical surroundings , traditional , 106 Physical
universe ...
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Contents
PROLOGUE | 3 |
THE MINDFULNESS OF MAN | 14 |
IN THE DREAMTIME LONG AGO | 48 |
Copyright | |
11 other sections not shown
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Common terms and phrases
achieved activities advances ancient animal association became become beginning body brain called cave century cities civilization collective command complex continued culture divine domestication dream earlier earliest early economy effective effort environment equally established evidence existence experience expression fact forces functions further give hand human hunting important improvement increase institution interpretation invention kind king kingship knowledge labor language later least less limited living machine magic man's material means mechanical megamachine merely military mind myth nature necessary neolithic never noted observation once operations organization original paleolithic performed perhaps period personality physical plants play possible practice present primitive production reason recorded remained ritual seems sexual significant social society speech stone symbolic technical thousand tion took turn village whole York
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Myth of the Machine: Technics and human development Harvest book Volume 1 of The Myth of the Machine, Lewis Mumford The Myth of the Machine; Technics and Human Development, Lewis Mumford |
| Author | Lewis Mumford |
| Publisher | Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | 2 Jun 2008 |
| ISBN | 0151639736, 9780151639731 |
| Length | 342 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |