技术选择的逻辑:以蒸汽机崛起为例

The Logic of Technology Selection:Taking the Rise of Steam Engines as an Example

基于“稀缺范式”阐释蒸汽机的崛起,意在表明蒸汽机的崛起克服了水力供给不足的“稀缺”困境。而安德烈亚斯·马尔姆指出,在能源转型期间,水资源所能提供的动力并不逊于蒸汽动力;他从“资本逻辑”出发,对蒸汽机时空维度的优越性展开了不同的经济史叙事,揭示了蒸汽机为资本主义生产方式有效而持续运行所需的固定、充足且可以被剥削的劳动力提供了技术支撑。我们应从生产力和生产关系的有机统一中认识蒸汽机崛起的缘由,将“稀缺范式”和“资本逻辑范式”结合起来加以说明,蒸汽机的崛起体现了资本、技术、劳动、自然的四角关系,即资本作为“指挥棒”,经由技术这一中介,实现对劳动力和自然的双重控制。当前,我们要警惕资本为了维持“历史终结者”地位,人为阻滞人类社会向可更新能源的转型,对此,技术的选择需要整个社会政治经济系统的全面支撑、转型或升级。

The rise of steam engine is explained by the u scarcity paradigmto show that the rise of steam engine has overcome the"scarcity"dilemma of insufficient water power supply.Andreas Malm pointed out that during the energy transition period,the power provided by water is not inferior to steam power,and derived from the"capital logic",a different economic history has been developed about the superiority of the steam engine in space and time.The narrative reveals that the steam engine provides technical support for the fixed,sufficient and exploitable labor force required for the effective and continuous operation of the capitalist inode of production.From the perspective of organic unity of productive forces and production relations,we should combine the"scarcity paradigm"and the"capital logic paradigm"to explain the reasons for the rise of the steam engine.The rise of the steam engine embodies the four-corner relationship between capital,technology,labor,and nature,that is,capital as a"baton"through the intermediary of technology,achieves dual control over labor and nature.At present,we must be wary the captical will artificially block the transformation of human society to renewable energy in order to maintain its status of u end of historyv.For this purpose,the selection of technology requires the overall support,transformation or upgrading of the entire socio-political and economic system.