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passage 38


bearbull

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In Forces of Production, David Noble examines the transformation of the machine-tool industry as the industry moved from reliance on skilled artisans to automation. Noble writes from a Marxist perspective, and his central argument is that management, in its decisions to automate, conspired against labor: the power that the skilled machinists wielded in the industry was intolerable to management. Noble fails to substantiate this claim, although his argument is impressive when he applies the Marxist concept of “de-skilling”—the use of technology to replace skilled labor—to the automation of the machine-tool industry. In automating, the industry moved to computer-based, digitized “numerical-control” (N/C) technology, rather than to artisan-generated “record-playback” (R/P) technology.

Although both systems reduced reliance on skilled labor, Noble clearly prefers R/P, with its inherent acknowledgment of workers’ skills: unlike N/C, its programs were produced not by engineers at their computers, but by skilled machinists, who recorded their own movements to “teach” machines to duplicate those movements. However, Noble’s only evidence of conspiracy is that, although the two approaches were roughly equal in technical merit, management chose N/C. From this he concludes that automation is undertaken not because efficiency demands it or scientific advances allow it, but because it is a tool in the ceaseless war of capitalists against labor.

 

 

3. Which of the following best characterizes the function of the second paragraph of the passage?

(A) It develops a topic introduced in the first paragraph.

(B) It provides evidence to refute a claim presented in the first paragraph.

© It gives examples of a phenomenon mentioned in the first paragraph.

(D) It presents a generalization about examples given in the first paragraph.

(E) It suggests two possible solutions to a problem presented in the first paragraph.

5. Which of the following phrases most clearly reveals the attitude of the author of the passage toward Noble’s central argument?

(A) “conspired against” (line 6)

(B) “intolerable to management” (line 7)

© “impressive when he applies the Marxist concept” (line 9)

(D) “clearly prefers” (line 16

(E) “only evidence of conspiracy” (line 21)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi,

 

I wanted to say something on Q5 here. The way I understand the snippets in " " are taken from the passage all right (and so may be used in any context possible ) but in general the question is looking for what what the author feels about Noble's central argument. I chose B as if we look at the way he is critical - the author feels that Noble's central argument is intolerable to management.

 

What do you think ?

 

Thanks.

 

Will appreciate response.

 

-Regards,

Girish

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  • 2 years later...

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