Patterns and types of work in the past

Part 2

Richard Sennett

pp. 33-36

in: Robert Skidelsky, Nan Craig (eds), Work in the future, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2020

Abstract

Studying the craftsmanship of the past gives us insight into how skill acquisition occurs, and shows how important the physical body is to mental labour. The difficulty of developing physical skills—such as fine drawing skills—helps also develop mental creativity and innovative thinking. This belies the argument that automated systems can effectively replace human labour, rather than supplementing them. We should be selective in the adoption of technology so that we supplement and augment human creativity and skills without undermining them.