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The cotton gin increased demand for labor to use the tool. You have to think very carefully and subtly to even have a chance at predicting second order effects
by natalyarostova 7y ago
The cotton gin increased demand for labor to use the tool. You have to think very carefully and subtly to even have a chance at predicting second order effects from more complex forms of automation.
- jcims 7y agoSame is true of regulation.
- oarabbus_ 7y agoI worked for a surgical robotics company as well as other medical device companies, and procedure lengths and surgical wait times both decreased in facilities with the device. Based on my experience the danger is in areas like "will we over-prescribe imaging tests even more than now?" but as to whether we'd need less doctors to treat the same number of patients, the answer is yes.
- natalyarostova 7y agoIf imaging tests become higher quality and cheaper would the concept of over-prescription of them still make sense? (Asking sincerely, I don’t work in medicine)
- oarabbus_ 7y agoIt is still dangerous, as x-rays are carcinogenic, and also the chance of false positives can adversely affect patient health.
- catalogia 7y agoFrom what I understand the increase in demand for labor was not to use the tool itself (which I believe would generally be water powered, not hand cranked) but rather the tool induced a greater demand for raw cotton and provided expansion opportunities to industries that consumed cotton. So more people were picking cotton and working in textile factories.