Could a free market survive replicators?

[Spider-Bite]

I think there will always be a need for brick and mortar stores, to be honest. And some people would make money through becoming a licensed franchisee to sell replicated products to those who can't make them. And, let's be honest, if you have a replicator how much money do you really need to be making? How much worth does money have anymore if you can simply replicate whatever the hell you want? Especially if almost EVERYONE has a replicator? The only true commodity at that point becomes land.

jag

I could actually see replicator rations becoming the new currency. Replicators would probably be hooked up through the internet, and everybody would have a certain amount of credit or replicator rations.

 

[Spider-Bite]

But in the Star Trek universe, the replicators handle small items (clothing, food, drinks, medical equipment, etc.)

The replicators don't create their space stations, shuttles, starships, buildings...

Well scientists figure out how to build them along with artichects and other designers, but a lot of the grueling physical labour is performed by technology. They have a lot of human workers, but they perform their duty because they want to.

 

[Kritish]

But in the Star Trek universe, the replicators handle small items (clothing, food, drinks, medical equipment, etc.)

The replicators don't create their space stations, shuttles, starships, buildings...

But replicators created the materials used to build the stations, shuttles and ships.
But In the real world replicators would be a nightmare for capitalism (that might be a good thing) a world without need would lead to less greed. But unless we could figure out how to make living organisms a free market would survive.

 

[Addendum]

But replicators created the materials used to build the stations, shuttles and ships.

In that regard, yes.

It's just not simply a matter of a Starfleet dude walking up to a replicator, insert the plans for the ship they want, and out pops a fully functional vessel with all the bells and whistles

 

[Leto Atrides]

You need energy to run the replicators, so that would still be a commodity. The whole energy infrastructure will be more important, in fact, because that's the only thing that goes into the machine, and there would be a ton. And there's things like real estate and labor that obviously can't be made in a replicator.

Also, they always go on in Star Trek about replicator food and drinks not being as good as real. So there can be a whole luxury market in food that wasn't replicated.

 

[Spider-Bite]

You need energy to run the replicators, so that would still be a commodity. The whole energy infrastructure will be more important, in fact, because that's the only thing that goes into the machine, and there would be a ton. And there's things like real estate and labor that obviously can't be made in a replicator.

Also, they always go on in Star Trek about replicator food and drinks not being as good as real. So there can be a whole luxury market in food that wasn't replicated.

Replicators will probably get their energy needs from using replicator technology to disassemble matter into energy. The solar system is full of resources for this kind of thing. Just go up to an asteroid, disassemble it, and bam you got a lifetime supply of energy ready.

 

[Leto Atrides]

Replicators will probably get their energy needs from using replicator technology to disassemble matter into energy. The solar system is full of resources for this kind of thing. Just go up to an asteroid, disassemble it, and bam you got a lifetime supply of energy ready.

I'm not sure what exactly you mean by disassemble into energy, matter isn't made of energy (are you talking about fission?). And besides, whatever it runs on, you have to have some infrastructure to provide that. Whether that's power plants or mining asteroids for rocks.

Also, what do you mean "will"? Replicators aren't even vaguely feasible. They were pretty much thought of in Star Trek as a deus ex machina explanation for why they have no monetary system without being communist or something.

 

[Kritish]

In that regard, yes.

It's just not simply a matter of a Starfleet dude walking up to a replicator, insert the plans for the ship they want, and out pops a fully functional vessel with all the bells and whistles

I've always figured that would be the next step in the Star Trek universe.

 

[Super Kal]

But in the Star Trek universe, the replicators handle small items (clothing, food, drinks, medical equipment, etc.)

The replicators don't create their space stations, shuttles, starships, buildings...

still... think of the possibilities...

 

[Spider-Bite]

I'm not sure what exactly you mean by disassemble into energy, matter isn't made of energy (are you talking about fission?). And besides, whatever it runs on, you have to have some infrastructure to provide that. Whether that's power plants or mining asteroids for rocks.

Also, what do you mean "will"? Replicators aren't even vaguely feasible. They were pretty much thought of in Star Trek as a deus ex machina explanation for why they have no monetary system without being communist or something.

Matter is energy converted into matter. They can go both ways. That's part of how replicators would use energy to make objects for you.

I say "will" because replicators don't exist yet.

As for their economy? On Star Trek they have an entirely socialist or communist economy, where money no longer exists, and people don't work for financial gain or profit. They work to better themselves or the rest of humanity. They have never quite talked about how they acheived that kind of economy, and they have never used the words socialism or communism, but it would obviously have to be one of those.

And of course you would need a power system distributing power out to everybody's homes. We already got one of those. At least all of the developed nations do.

 

[R0rschach]

wow, talk about dead upon birth threads

wow, you posted 7 times and this thread is at page 2.

 

[Noir]

if the free market ever went down, we could just replicate it

 

[Leto Atrides]

I say "will" because replicators don't exist yet.

You're using the word will as if it's an inevitability. Star Trek predicted some real things, like hyposprays, and has some ideas that are at least plausible, like holodecks, but replicators aren't even vaguely possible without massive, massive increases in technology that we couldn't even predict.

 

[Ahura Mazda]

If everything was abundant and anybody could have whatever they wanted, the market economy would go out the door as would any other system we have today.

A whole new sytem would have to be put in place.

 

[CyberFaust]

wow, you posted 7 times and this thread is at page 2.

i want my big avvy damnit!

 

[Spider-Bite]

You're using the word will as if it's an inevitability. Star Trek predicted some real things, like hyposprays, and has some ideas that are at least plausible, like holodecks, but replicators aren't even vaguely possible without massive, massive increases in technology that we couldn't even predict.

but we have scientists working on them right now along with transporters, and they have already reassembled light particles and copper atoms.

There actually is a replicator you can buy right now that is obviously primitive by star trek standards. It builds things much the way a computer printer works by layering molecules on top of one another over and over again. In 12 hours you can have a hammer, or a wrench, or a highly detailed model of a human skull.

It's abilities are limited though, and it works very slow, and it obviously can't produce food.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

what about the people who can't afford replicators, seeing as it would probably be more expensive than a microwave meal you bought at the store. And these people who worked at the stores wont have a job anymore. And the replicators would eventually be built by other replicators.

How would people make money?

They'll replicate it, duh!

 

[Leto Atrides]

but we have scientists working on them right now along with transporters, and they have already reassembled light particles and copper atoms.

There actually is a replicator you can buy right now that is obviously primitive by star trek standards. It builds things much the way a computer printer works by layering molecules on top of one another over and over again. In 12 hours you can have a hammer, or a wrench, or a highly detailed model of a human skull.

Are you talking about a 3D printer? Because they can only make things out of plaster or foam or whatever. It's for making prototypes, you can't really make useful objects of anything, unless you need a sculpture made of gypsum for some reason.

I see what you're getting at, and eventually you could have a machine that could just make a metal or plastic object by building it up. That's not too far off as far as technology goes. But synthesizing organic molecules and manipulating energy and matter they way Star Trek replicators do is a completely different subject.

 

[Super Kal]

my guess is that there would first be restriction on what you could replicate... my first would be that it would first be used for school, hospitals, military, stuff like that...

then they'd market it to the general public... the food industry might take an enormous beating, though

 

[Addendum]

Are you talking about a 3D printer? Because they can only make things out of plaster or foam or whatever. It's for making prototypes, you can't really make useful objects of anything, unless you need a sculpture made of gypsum for some reason.

Well, they're not useful now. But once the philosopher's stone is found, watch out! Alchemy baby

 

[Spider-Bite]

Are you talking about a 3D printer? Because they can only make things out of plaster or foam or whatever. It's for making prototypes, you can't really make useful objects of anything, unless you need a sculpture made of gypsum for some reason.

I see what you're getting at, and eventually you could have a machine that could just make a metal or plastic object by building it up. That's not too far off as far as technology goes. But synthesizing organic molecules and manipulating energy and matter they way Star Trek replicators do is a completely different subject.

I know what we have today is a long way off from replicators used on star trek. But the 3d printers I was talking about were inspired by those. And they can make wrenches or hammers and they are expected to find some usefullness in medical science soon.

I was trying to point out that where there is a will there is a way. I do think that replicators like on star trek will happen unless some type of disaster happens that causes a world wide economical and technological advancement halt.

Or if governments take action to stop them from coming into existence.

 

[Kritish]

1. We'd truly have a classless society, Karel Marx would be proud.
2. Tons upon tons of business would go out of business.
3. Not all jobs would leave, obviously there's things that people could still work on.
4. Money and all precious resources would become worthless.

 

[Spider-Bite]

1. We'd truly have a classless society, Karel Marx would be proud.
2. Tons upon tons of business would go out of business.
3. Not all jobs would leave, obviously there's things that people could still work on.
4. Money and all precious resources would become worthless.

Replicators could make a very big positive difference in the world. It would be the end of greed.

 

[Kritish]

Replicators could make a very big positive difference in the world. It would be the end of greed.

Or someone would figure out how to replicate unlimited amounts of Nerve gas or nuclear warheads. Humanity would have to learn to act moral and deceit for a change, something that doesn't seem likely.

 

[Addendum]

It's the perfect machine for greed.