Nikitaev, V. V. Marx, Infrastructure of Social Time and Genesis of the ‘Iron Man’

Abstract: The author of the article views Karl Marx’s contribution to the philosophy of technology from the point of view of the modern state of development of this philosophy and discovery of certain ideas in Marx’s studies which could appear to be significant in XXI century. The author discusses the role of machines in transformation of labor structure, birth of the ‘iron man’ who opposed an ‘alive’ worker in the production process. It is shown that this event, which is paid much attention in Marx’s teaching, was possible only under conditions of the ‘infrastructure of social time’ ensured by working hours and schedules. In its turn, technological progress caused revolutionary changes in old infrastructures and creation of new ones. Infrastructure introduced a global element into technology, inevitably changed and continues to change our social life.

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