HUMAN COLONY FORMATION 



growth of science and technology became possible. 

 This latter growth of course is equally based on the 

 progressive accumulation of ever more effective tools, 

 which interwoven with the increasing know-how, gives 

 rise to machines which, outside of their obviously 

 utilitarian purpose, also make possible the building of 

 even better machines. Science, a result of accumulating 

 human knowledge, is equally a causating factor of the 

 further development of this knowledge. It makes pos- 

 sible a new specificity of direction, a new method of 

 critical evaluation, and provides for much better in- 

 dexing of the acquired information. 



The advances of technology began about a century 

 ago to free an increasing portion of the human race 

 from the primary tasks of providing food and shelter. 

 Consequently they became available for other func- 

 tions, such as the production of more tools; the direct 

 or indirect furthering of the growth of knowledge; the 

 production of goods not immediately essential for the 

 survival of individuals; or some form of activity in the 

 mechanism of the social integration process. The in- 

 creasing percentage of individuals so engaged con- 

 tributes greatly to the rate of material progress. The 

 great numerical increase of the earth's population, up 

 to a point, is also both cause and effect of this material 

 progress. All these factors combine to result in the ex- 

 ponential increase of man's effectiveness which cer- 

 tainly has taken place during the past few centuries. 



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