Mankind in Transition
Encyclopedia
Mankind in Transition is a book by Masse Bloomfield.
Bloomfield was born in Franklin, New Hampshire
in 1923 and attended schools in Laconia
. He obtained a degree in bacteriology
from the University of New Hampshire
in 1948 and a Master of Library Science from the Carnegie Institute of Technology
in 1951.
In World War II
, Bloomfield received the Distinguished Flying Cross
and the Air Medal
. He was in the Retired U.S. Air Force Reserves as a lieutenant colonel
.
For twenty-two years he was Head of the Hughes Aircraft
Company Technical Library. While at Hughes, he wrote numerous articles for library journals. He has written several books, including Man in Transition (1993) and The Automated Society
(1995).
His volunteer activities include acting as a liaison officer for the U.S. Air Force Academy. After some twenty years of service as a liaison officer, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy in 2009.
, with long periods of stability interrupted with short periods of transition. He argues that humans are now in a period of transition from a stable agricultural society
through a transitional industrial and/or information society becoming a stable automated society. Each stable society has its own social organization. The animal society has a dominant male and everyone else; the tribal society has a chief, a medicine man, hunters and everyone else. The peasant society has a nobility, overseers and peasants in the food production category which also has a military category, a religious category, tradesmen and craftsmen. The transitional industrial society features top executives, managers and workers in many categories.
The technological evolution
beginning in the tribal society had hand tools; the peasant society featured a plow, a domesticated animal on dedicated farm land plus a wide range of artifacts and tools; the transition to the industrial society began in England with the steam engine, textile machines and later it was the tractor that forced the peasants off the land and into the cities. Machines and computers dominate production in the industrial society. It is predicted that in the automated society all production will be controlled by computers. The forcing elements in the transition has been productivity
. During periods of stability, productivity changes very little from year to year. But in a transitional period as we are experiencing, productivity changes every year. When productivity can no longer increase, we will be completely automated.
He asserts that mankind will develop a stable automated society
. Mankind will also evolve into a new biological species in colonies living in distant star systems. The automated society will be one where everyone will have just about everything they want without physical effort. Everyone will be rich in today's terms.
Bloomfield was born in Franklin, New Hampshire
Franklin, New Hampshire
The median income for a household in the city was $34,613, and the median income for a family was $41,698. Males had a median income of $32,318 versus $25,062 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,155...
in 1923 and attended schools in Laconia
Laconia, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,411 people, 6,724 households, and 4,168 families residing in the city. The population density was 809.3 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 421.8 per square mile...
. He obtained a degree in bacteriology
Bacteriology
Bacteriology is the study of bacteria. This subdivision of microbiology involves the identification, classification, and characterization of bacterial species...
from the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
in 1948 and a Master of Library Science from the Carnegie Institute of Technology
Carnegie Institute of Technology
The Carnegie Institute of Technology , is the name for Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering. It was first called the Carnegie Technical Schools, or Carnegie Tech, when it was founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie who intended to build a “first class technical school” in Pittsburgh,...
in 1951.
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Bloomfield received the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
and the Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
. He was in the Retired U.S. Air Force Reserves as a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
.
For twenty-two years he was Head of the Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
Company Technical Library. While at Hughes, he wrote numerous articles for library journals. He has written several books, including Man in Transition (1993) and The Automated Society
The Automated Society
In a diagram from the book "The Automated Society", Bloomfield defines the history of man beginning over two million years ago and ending over a hundred thousand years in the future. The diagram is base on biological punctuated equilibrium and a parallel cultural evolution...
(1995).
His volunteer activities include acting as a liaison officer for the U.S. Air Force Academy. After some twenty years of service as a liaison officer, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy in 2009.
Summary
He describes human evolutionary history as a step function of punctuated equilibriumPunctuated equilibrium
Punctuated equilibrium is a theory in evolutionary biology which proposes that most species will exhibit little net evolutionary change for most of their geological history, remaining in an extended state called stasis...
, with long periods of stability interrupted with short periods of transition. He argues that humans are now in a period of transition from a stable agricultural society
Agricultural society
An agricultural society may refer to:*An agrarian society, one where the chief occupation is agriculture: typically contrasted with an industrial society....
through a transitional industrial and/or information society becoming a stable automated society. Each stable society has its own social organization. The animal society has a dominant male and everyone else; the tribal society has a chief, a medicine man, hunters and everyone else. The peasant society has a nobility, overseers and peasants in the food production category which also has a military category, a religious category, tradesmen and craftsmen. The transitional industrial society features top executives, managers and workers in many categories.
The technological evolution
Technological evolution
Technological evolution is the name of a science and technology studies theory describing technology development, developed by Czech philosopher Radovan Richta.-Theory of technological evolution:...
beginning in the tribal society had hand tools; the peasant society featured a plow, a domesticated animal on dedicated farm land plus a wide range of artifacts and tools; the transition to the industrial society began in England with the steam engine, textile machines and later it was the tractor that forced the peasants off the land and into the cities. Machines and computers dominate production in the industrial society. It is predicted that in the automated society all production will be controlled by computers. The forcing elements in the transition has been productivity
Productivity
Productivity is a measure of the efficiency of production. Productivity is a ratio of what is produced to what is required to produce it. Usually this ratio is in the form of an average, expressing the total output divided by the total input...
. During periods of stability, productivity changes very little from year to year. But in a transitional period as we are experiencing, productivity changes every year. When productivity can no longer increase, we will be completely automated.
He asserts that mankind will develop a stable automated society
The Automated Society
In a diagram from the book "The Automated Society", Bloomfield defines the history of man beginning over two million years ago and ending over a hundred thousand years in the future. The diagram is base on biological punctuated equilibrium and a parallel cultural evolution...
. Mankind will also evolve into a new biological species in colonies living in distant star systems. The automated society will be one where everyone will have just about everything they want without physical effort. Everyone will be rich in today's terms.
See also
- ProductivityProductivityProductivity is a measure of the efficiency of production. Productivity is a ratio of what is produced to what is required to produce it. Usually this ratio is in the form of an average, expressing the total output divided by the total input...
- Punctuated EquilibriumPunctuated equilibriumPunctuated equilibrium is a theory in evolutionary biology which proposes that most species will exhibit little net evolutionary change for most of their geological history, remaining in an extended state called stasis...
- Technological EvolutionTechnological evolutionTechnological evolution is the name of a science and technology studies theory describing technology development, developed by Czech philosopher Radovan Richta.-Theory of technological evolution:...
- The Automated SocietyThe Automated SocietyIn a diagram from the book "The Automated Society", Bloomfield defines the history of man beginning over two million years ago and ending over a hundred thousand years in the future. The diagram is base on biological punctuated equilibrium and a parallel cultural evolution...