issue30 技术进步与人类生活，大家提提意见！

happyman2000UID: 136936

Issue 30 the primary goal of technological advancement should to be increase people’s efficiency so that everyone has more leisure time.
技术进步的最主要的目标就是提高人们的效率，使得每个人都有更多的闲暇时间。

Certainly technological advancement can greatly enhance people’s efficiency and increase their leisure time, but by arguing that it is the primary goal of technological advance, it seems to go to extremes since that it ignores many other equally important connotations of technology other than creating more leisure time.

Technology, in its nature, serves for the well being of human races. What human needs is therefore the main aim of technological advancement. But people’s needs are various: besides more leisure time, they also hope to enjoy more convenience and comfort that new products bring them; they hope to know much more about the unknown; in addition, they hope to have a more healthy environment, etc.. In reality, most other aims of technology that human needs require are incongruous with that either of more leisure time or of efficiency.   

Take the seeking for more convenience and comfort for example; it does not necessarily lead to more leisure time for people though it can increase efficiency sometimes. To create more convenience or comfort for people’s life, factories must do their utmost to invent more new products and manufacture them on a large scale at least cost, and individuals must work hardest to earn as more money as possible in order to afford the expected convenience or comfort that new products bring. Certainly, this is a ferocious competition where everyone has to utilize his/her intelligence or energy to the limit so as to survive it. Perhaps this is why human becomes busier and busier over time, completely contrary to the above statement that technology increases people’s leisure time.

Another crucial aim of technological advancement even has not the function of enhancing people’s efficiency, no mention of increasing leisure time. The technology aiming at economizing natural resources or protecting environment is such an illuminating example in case. Any advancement in this kind of technology can significantly enhance the total efficiency of producing and thus the welfare of human beings as a whole, for that it decreases the cost of produce, and alleviate the problem of environmental contamination. However, its effect on people’s efficiency is quite indefinite. Sometimes it can help people produce more quickly and effectively because there is a better environment, but at most times, it does little or even does harm to the efficiency of workers in that it imposes more burdens on both individuals and factories.

In addition, a great deal of technological advancements comes from people’s innate curiosity to the unknown, therefore having little relation to the efficiency of people and the leisure time. When Edison invented light, he must not think of how this invention will do benefits to the efficiency. Similarly, governments all over the world today put countless resources into the research on spacecrafts, but one can hardly say whether this activity will enhance people’s efficiency in the future. People do this primarily for the curiosity, not for some practical purpose.     



Even if the technological advancement is concerned with the economy of labors, that is to say that, it increases the efficiency of people, it does not necessarily spare more leisure time for people. By contrast, under the driving for higher profits, employers would more likely dismiss redundant labors, and impose higher intensity of working upon employees. As a result, though the efficiency of working enhances, the leisure time decreases. In fact, this is actually what happens in the world.

In conclusion, there are multiple goals of technological advancement, and one can hardly argue that advance of technology would necessarily enhance people’s efficiency and increase their leisure time.   (590 words)

feier521UID: 109747

Certainly technological advancement can greatly enhance people’s efficiency and increase their leisure time, but by arguing that it is the primary goal of technological advance, it seems to go to extremes（extreme） since that it ignores many other equally important connotations of technology other than creating more leisure time.

Technology, in its nature, serves for the well being（well-being） of human races. What human needs is therefore the main aim of technological advancement. But people’s needs are various: besides more leisure time, they also hope to enjoy more convenience and comfort that new products bring them; they hope to know much more about the unknown; in addition, they hope to have a more healthy environment, etc.. In reality, most other aims of technology that human needs require(require 在这里干什么？) are incongruous with that either of more leisure time or of efficiency.

Take the seeking for more convenience and comfort for example; it does not necessarily lead to more leisure time for people though it can increase efficiency sometimes. To create more convenience or comfort for people’s life, factories must do their utmost to invent more new products and manufacture them on a large scale at least cost, and individuals must work hardest to earn as more （as… as possible 结构里可以有比较级？much）money as possible in order to afford the expected convenience or comfort that new products bring. Certainly, this is a ferocious competition where（where？可以？ferocious competitive world where…） everyone has to utilize his/her intelligence or energy to the limit so as to survive it（it 去掉，不如改为in order to survive）. Perhaps this is why human becomes busier and busier over time, completely contrary to the above statement that technology increases people’s leisure time.

Another crucial aim of technological advancement even has not the function of enhancing people’s efficiency, no mention of increasing leisure time. The technology aiming at economizing natural resources or protecting environment is such an illuminating example in case. Any advancement in this kind of technology can significantly enhance the total efficiency of producing and thus the welfare of human beings as a whole, for that it decreases the cost of produce, and alleviate(s) the problem of environmental contamination. However, its effect on people’s efficiency is quite indefinite. Sometimes it can help people produce more quickly and effectively because there is a better environment（前面的观点是：科技的目的不能提高人们的有效性，也不能增加空闲时间。是上一段的递进。这里还sometimes？？）, but at most times, it does little or even does harm to the efficiency of workers in that it imposes more burdens on both individuals and factories.

In addition, a great deal of（修饰不可数吧？） technological advancements comes (come) from people’s innate curiosity to the unknown, therefore having little relation to the efficiency of people and the leisure time. When Edison invented light (呵呵光不是爱迪生发明的吧light bulb), he must not think of how this invention will do benefits （benefit）to the efficiency. Similarly, governments all over the world today put countless resources into the research on spacecrafts, but one can hardly say whether this activity will enhance people’s efficiency in the future. （不是吧？当然有好处了，探索宇宙不提高人们的效率？）People do this primarily for the curiosity, not for some practical purpose（purposes）.

Even if the technological advancement is concerned with the economy of labors, that is to say that, it increases the efficiency of people, it does not necessarily spare more leisure time for people. By contrast, under the driving for higher profits, employers would more likely dismiss redundant（既然是“多余的”，本来就要dismiss嘛） labors, and impose higher intensity of working upon employees. As a result, though the efficiency of working enhances, the leisure time decreases. In fact, this is actually what happens in the world.

In conclusion, there are multiple goals of technological advancement, and one can hardly argue that advance of technology would necessarily enhance people’s efficiency and increase their leisure time. (590 words)

happyman2000UID: 136936

多谢ferer, 意见都很好，非常受用！