Re: Apprenticeship for our Future

On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 03:26:53 GMT, "Tom Gardner"
<tom(nospam)@ohiobrush.com> wrote:


"carl mciver" <cmciver@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:nXhug.22$bP5.11@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Tom Gardner" <tom(nospam)@ohiobrush.com> wrote in message
news:Ei7ug.66321$fb2.6627@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
| <snip>
|
| I disagree. Trades and crafts are disappearing for a reason;
technology.
| Die makers are going away because CAD/CAM can do a better cheaper job.
I've
| seen woodworking plants that are totally automated and controlled buy a
guy
| at a keyboard. And guess what? That thing you bought, that doesn't
work
| anymore, it isn't worth fixing! It's too cheap to not go get a new,
better
| one. We don't need skilled people anymore...almost. In a couple of
| generations, EVERYTHING will be automated to the point we won't need
| doctors, mechanics, chefs, paperboys, cab drivers, elevator operators,
| ...etc. With the invention of the first nanite basic replicator, all
humans
| can soon become creatures of leisure and spend all their time pursuing
the
| arts and philosophy. All the machines will take care of themselves and
we
| can forget them. We are just on the cusp.


Tom, I usually enjoy your posts, but this time I will heavily disagree.
I've recently moved into a job in R&D for a large company. I do some cool
stuff. When I'm building or developing something that is one of a kind,
will have an application for one use and/or one time and then get tossed,
knowledge, skill, and initiative is the key to making it happen. There
will
always be a need for skilled machinists who can make something out of
anything with the least amount of instruction. I know you do it yourself
or
have it done at your shop. You can't replace it with a machine or slave
labor in another country. That's the "sweat" part of innovation. Without
it, all technology advances come to a stop.
All new technology comes from someone having to move from inspiration
to
perspiration. It just so happens that our current "system" (for lack of a
better word) is focused more on those who "know," rather on those who can
"do." You yourself as a business owner very well know that such skills and
attitudes are very hard to find, and are rarely a product of the normal
system. The Minnesota farmers holed up in their shops in the dead of
winter
"do" out of necessity and/or boredom. Kids right out of public school
think
that "doing" is typing away at a computer. Not.

I know you know better, but I'm sure you just got caught at the wrong
moment of judgement.


No, no no! Think about 100 years from now. I said a couple of generations!
Even then, you'll still need the "vision", you'll still need the insight and
such but the sweat and swarf will go away! How many times I have sat at my
desk banging away with Solidworks and I just want to push the key that sends
the model to the "creator" or such that spits out the part I want or the
whole assembly. We can already do it in wax, how soon in metal?
Nanotechnology, molecular manipulation, something we haven't thought of yet?
You'll build a machine or product or prototype from a keyboard or other
interface. Manual skills will still exist but as a hobby or art, look at
the tool and die industry, it's all CAD/CAM! There are few all-manual or
model shops left. A couple more generations and things will be
different...ya' think? The driving force of creation won't change much,
just the tools.

=======================
There have been several science fiction stories on this.

Problem in these was, and will most likely be in the real world,
is where do you get the first article to replicate, and what
drives advancement/improvement?


Unka George
(George McDuffee)

There is something to be said for government by a great aristocracy
which has furnished leaders to the nation in peace and war for generations;
even a democrat like myself must admit this.

But there is absolutely nothing to be said for government by a plutocracy,
for government by men very powerful in certain lines and gifted with the "money touch,"
but with ideals which in their essence are merely those of so many glorified pawnbrokers.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), U.S. Republican (later Progressive) politician, president. Letter, 15 Nov. 1913.
.

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