Re: Tools, progress, work
Seems to me the increased complexity and sophisication of the tool, the more time there has to be spent in learning to use those tools.
As for whether this does reduce the overall time necessary to do the same taks, it'd seem the initutive answer is yes, but is this the result of the tools or the organization of the work that creates the time savings? Probably a combination of the two.
Overall physical work should drop over time and technological development, but I don't think it'll ever disappear. Because there are large numbers of people who enjoy manual labor, having a purpose, going around building things.
Consider this: Is it more enjoyable to build your own addition to a house, or watching a machine do the work? Sure, the novelty of such would make it cool for a generation, then the ennui would smash through the population with potentially disastrous repercussions. People get irritable and fight when bored.
I suppose it's a matter of opinion, though.
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