D. 47 – 50 題 In the Western world, the perception of time distinguishes it from earlier civilizations. Unlike ancient cultures that embraced the cyclical nature of time, the West adopted a mechanistic and mathematical approach. The invention of the clock revolutionized time, turning it into a tradable commodity. This shift played a pivotal role in the emergence and exploitation of industrial capitalism. The origin of the clock can be traced back to the epoch of the eleventh century, whereas the inception of a bona fide clock materialized during the thirteenth century. Nevertheless, it was not until the sixteenth century that clockmaking achieved heightened accuracy, culminating in the inclusion of minute hands in the eighteenth century. These notable strides in horological precision concurred with the burgeoning sway of capitalism and the industrial revolution, endowing meticulous time measurement crucial for the exploitation of laborers. The clock not only represented technological progress but also profoundly influenced human behavior. It stood as the initial significant automatic apparatus, laying the groundwork for the intricate machinery of the industrial revolution. Socially, the clock imposed a new sense of regularity akin to the disciplined existence found within monasteries. Individuals transformed into punctilious beings, detached from life’s innate rhythm. Time metamorphosed into a valuable asset equated with monetary worth, enabling the expansion of factory labor and the dispiriting regimentation of existence. As time consciousness permeated society, punctuality assumed the mantle of virtue across social strata. However, the obsessive reliance on mechanical time extended its grasp, resulting in adverse ramifications for factory labor. Rigorous schedules led to health ailments and a deterioration in work quality. Workers became enslaved by the clock, anxiously anticipating their limited leisure time, which they occupied with mechanized entertainment. The predominance of mechanical time and machines over human lives presents a dilemma. While they possess merits in coordinating endeavors and minimizing excessive toil, their current dominance stifles individual freedom and distorts a balanced perspective. In a rational and liberated society, machines and clocks ought to serve as instruments for efficient collaboration rather than oppressive overlords. Striving for a resurgence of equilibrium, emancipated from the worship of time, becomes imperative. Genuine liberty necessitates liberation from the tyranny of abstractions, including the reign of machines and clocks.