Critical Thinking Blog # 6

    

      I'm writing about the promise and peril about science and technology on robots and automation in the

 industries. Also, how these robots are taking human workers' place which cause them to loss their jobs.
      I found an article on LexisNexis called “Robots Rescue Small Firms from Labor  Woes” by takehiro Fukuda, he points out that small companies are replacing robots with human workers. The author said that, “Because the factory has been totally automated with advanced robots, the firm no longer has to employ expensive skilled labor… without robots, small companies like mine would not be able to survive…” (Fukuda). In this quote, the author explains that in the little companies like his, the owner would like to use robots instead of skilled labors. Also, he points out that each robot costs Y5 million and “according to small company owners, foreigners’ wages have appreciated recently to as high as Y1,600 per hour. That means if a foreigner works 10 hours a day, 22 days a month, the labor cost comes to Y4 million” (Fukuda). Here, Fukuda explains that to hire a non-Japanese worker is much expensive than owners to buy a machine robot. This article fits my topic well because it talks about how human workers are replaced by robots.

Another article that I found in the LexisNexis is  “Robots: Next Step for Garment Makers” by Dow Jones, it talks about how machine robots work in the garments. The author said that “In Japan, government planners foresee bolts of fabric entering one end of a robot assembly line and emerging at the end as finished men’s business suits—all done with a minimum of human assistance” (Jones). In this quote, the author explains that machine robots take the most parts of the work when they are making men’s business suits and there are very few parts where human workers do. Also, the author mentions that “Down the line, a robot would pick up a half-finished suit and put it on a mannequin; robots with sewing-machine arms would reach over and sew on sleeves and collars; other robots would inspect the suit and send it to be shipped” (Jones). In this passage we see that machines can do many things that human could do. Also, in this article it related to my topic.