Doyle Saylor wrote: > > Greetings Economists, > > On Sep 2, 2006, at 7:06 AM, Carrol Cox wrote: > > > And if you drop the metaphor, > > Doyle; > I am being literal about the word, 'production'. Text 'produces' a > form of information that is one to many, not interactive.
I'm not convinced that this usage can be literal. I append at the end all the possibly relevant OED definitions, with selected illustrations. My basis for disagreement is that I do not think knowledge itself can be considered a product in any useful sense. And it is at best misleading (clashing with usual expectations) to treat knowledge as a product. Carrol 1. a. trans. To bring forward, bring forth or out; to bring into view, to present to view or notice; to offer for inspection or consideration, exhibit. Often used of bringing forward witnesses, as well as evidence, or vouchers, in a court of law. 1499 [DELETE] 1776 Trial of Nundocomar 16/1 The books must be produced, as we cannot receive parole evidence of their contents. 1828 SCOTT F.M. Perth viii, So saying, he produced, from the hawking pouch already mentioned, the stiffened hand. 1877 Act 40 & 41 Vict. c. 60 ยง5 Any person..may, on producing..a copy of his authorisation..enter by day such canal boat. b. To introduce; now spec., to bring (a performer or performance) before the public; to administer and supervise the production of (a film or broadcast programme). refl., to come forward, come 'out'. Also absol. 1585 [DELETE] 1897 G. B. SHAW in Sat. Rev. 13 Feb. 170/1 Like all plays under Mr. Barrett's management, 'The Daughter of Babylon' is excellently produced. [DELETE] 1966 Listener 6 Oct. 515/2, I think it was over-ambitious of Mr Wheeler to produce and write the script, yet one cannot belittle his success in presenting very clearly the broad scope of his subject. 1971 N. K. PARROTT in J. R. Brown Drama & Theatre iv. 87 Othello got produced, mainly because somebody wanted to do it and convinced enough other people to join him in presenting it. 2. a. Geom. [DELETE] 3. To bring forth, bring into being or existence. a. generally. To bring (a thing) into existence from its raw materials or elements, or as the result of a process; to give rise to, bring about, effect, cause, make (an action, condition, etc.). 1513 [DELETE]1879 LUBBOCK Sci. Lect. iii. 87 Certain..insects produce a noise by rubbing one of their abdominal rings against another. 1891 Law Rep., Weekly Notes 136/2 The coal was cut in large blocks..the small coal was produced by the friction of the blocks. b. Of an animal or plant: To generate, bring forth, give birth to, bear, yield (offspring, seed, fruit, etc.). Also absol. 1526 [DELETE] 1976 'A. GARVE' Home to Roost ii. 26 She had naturally expected to start a family... There was no apparent physical reason why we shouldn't produce. c. Of a country, region, river, mine, process, [DELETE] d. To compose or bring out by mental or physical labour (a work of literature or art); to work up from raw material, fabricate, make, manufacture (material objects); in Pol. Econ. often blending with sense c. 1638 [DELETE]1719 ADDISON To Sir G. Kneller 78 This wonder of the sculptor's hand Produced, his art was at a stand. [DELETE] 1901 Westm. Gaz. 6 Sept. 9/1 The true principle is to produce for one's self what one can best produce, and with the product buy elsewhere that which others can best produce. e. absol. To produce the goods, money, results. slang. 1970 G. F. NEWMAN Sir, You Bastard viii. 226 Ring me. And you'd better produce. 1977 New Yorker 24 Oct. 64/3 One queen's 'husband' asked her to 'produce' for four of his friends and stabbed her when she declined.
