GRGR(12) some comments
Terrance F. Flaherty
Lycidas at worldnet.att.net
Tue Oct 19 19:20:11 CDT 1999
Cjhurtt6 at aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 10/19/99 7:53:05 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> Lycidas at worldnet.att.net writes:
>
> << So
> Pynchon, and I think this is what he addresses in his
> Luddite essay, as pertains to computers and information,
> seems to agree with Plato's Thamus, that the "specialized
> knowledge" of the masters of (a new technology for example)
> are mistakenly understood as wisdoms, the masters wise. Of
> course the masters believe this as well. The result is that
> certain questions can not be asked, by the preterite
> (losers), indeed certain critical questions do not arise.
> For example, "To whom, Mr. President Gates, will this new
> technology give greater freedom? And whose power and freedom
> will be reduced by it?" >>
> i agree with this,but, i do have a question. i'm not all that hip on
> philosophy so i could be wrong here, but wasn't it plato that said something
> along the lines of slavery will end when we make machines that work all on
> their own? the more automated the work place the less work people have to
> do...no work=freedom.
I think you want Plato's partner in crime, Aristotle here.
> i don't see how one could say the masters power could not last if their
> technology led to automation and at the same time say they would maintain
> that power.
This is an interesting question. A great question to ask
about Aristotle. An important issue I think in M&D in
particular. How does Aristotle deal with this apparent
paradox? Reason, is the short answer, and of course for
Aristotle some men are by nature slaves.
something i'm over looking? personally i don't think
technology
> leads to freedom. when i was in school(industrial design major) i got to see
> all kinds of tech goodies...."meet the new boss same as the old boss."
I think Plato gets it right, btw, Plato's view of slavery is
not much more appealing than Aristotle's, in that the
decision to permit a technology to enter the culture, must
be made before it does so, after its introduced, it's too
late.
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