>Wrong; that's putting the horse after the cart. We originally refined
>such tools to mimic and extend capacities for effectual action
>inherent in the human form. To highlight the distinction, what part
>of your body have you used as a wheel lately? None - that was an
>invention extrapolated from rolling rocks rather than straining
>sinews and leveraged bones.
I wonder, in these instances, where the line is drawn between the horse and the cart. Whether we are 'refining' such tools by making external objects, or 'refining' such machines by thinking, 'hmm, I _could_ use my _hand_ to do this job since I have no hammer available' is an interesting moment of thought.
Yes, we extend the utility of our body parts when we use a tool, but, I don't think the loop is entirely without feedback- I think this cart came with the horse, or vice versa....