inflearn logo

[Bite-Sized Humanities] The Age of Exploration Sparked the Industrial Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution Summoned AI! A 500-Year Domino Effect: Navigation, the Industrial Revolution, and Labor

We, the people of modern society, live repetitive lives, going to work at roughly the same time every day and leaving at roughly the same time as well. Would you believe that the origins of work, which we take so much for granted, date all the way back to the Age of Exploration more than 500 years ago? From the moment Columbus arrived in the New World at the end of the 15th century, humanity’s systems of labor and economics began to undergo enormous change. The sea became a vast stage for transporting gold and silver, spices, and even “labor,” while this massive system of trade and exploitation triggered the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries—and the Industrial Revolution created the culture of work that continues to this day. The steam engine and countless factories that emerged during this process became catalysts that completely transformed the very concept of labor. Hourly wages, the division of labor, mass production— the way we work today was truly established during this period. And now, we are entering another great turning point: the age of AI. Artificial intelligence and automation technologies are causing some occupations to disappear while creating new forms of labor. This change is by no means sudden. It is the highlight of a 500-year historical domino effect that began in the Age of Exploration, passed through the Industrial Revolution, and has continued to the present. If the Age of Exploration had not led to the Industrial Revolution, the labor of our time might look entirely different. That is why this class reinterprets the course of human history from the Age of Exploration → the Industrial Revolution → modern labor. History will be presented not merely as the past, but as an important key to understanding the changes in the work we do today and the work humanity will do in the future.

1 learners are taking this course

Level Basic

Course period 3 months

history
history
humanities
humanities
refinement
refinement
history
history
humanities
humanities
refinement
refinement

What you will gain after the course

  • The Hidden Truths and Misconceptions of the Age of Exploration

  • The Civilizations of Humanity Destroyed by the Age of Exploration

  • How the Age of Exploration Triggered the Industrial Revolution

  • The Meaning of the Industrial Revolution and the Birth of New Labor

  • Gain a perspective on changes in labor in the AI era within the context of 500 years of history

The morning commute we take today began
500 years ago.


What if the daily commute and work we take for granted began 500 years ago?
The exploration and exploitation of the Age of Discovery sparked the Industrial Revolution,
and the Industrial Revolution shaped the work we do today. Now, in the age of AI,
understand this historical continuity and prepare for the future. Gain insights into the future of work.


Where did all the ways we live today
begin?

This course explores in depth, from a historical perspective, how the greed of the Age of Exploration sparked the Industrial Revolution,
and how this has influenced work in today’s AI era.
.



This is not simply a story about the past. We explore the roots of every concept of labor—from today’s commuting, annual salary, and even retirement,
through the 500-year flow from the Age of Exploration through the Industrial Revolution
to the AI era.



You will reinterpret the meaning of modern work, gain a humanities-based perspective on the context of future changes in work through humanities-based insight, and acquire the key to understanding the flow of the historical dominoes

.

Uncover the truth of 500 years of history
and find the essence of labor

Section 1 - The link between modern labor and the Age of Exploration

Explore how repetitive labor in modern society originated from the plunder and exploitation of the Age of Exploration 500 years ago. This is an orientation class encompassing the entire course.

Section 2 - Age of Exploration: Prelude to Tragedy and Revolution

It sheds light on the tragedy of the destruction of Indigenous civilizations and population decline caused by the ignorance and greed of Europeans during the Age of Exploration. It also analyzes the economic and social changes of the time, including the establishment of the first joint-stock companies and the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade.

Section 3 - The Industrial Revolution: Redefining Labor

Explore the background and significance of how the capital accumulated and technological advancements achieved during the Age of Exploration sparked the Industrial Revolution. Also learn how each stage of the Industrial Revolution affected humanity.

Section 4 - Modern and Future Labor: Changes in the AI Era

Explore the hidden truth of modern labor and the meaning of value-added labor, predict the drastic changes the advent of the AI era will bring to the labor market and the jobs that will disappear, and forecast how labor will change in the future based on historical trends of the past.

The labor of today began with the Age of Exploration.
How will human labor change in the future?


Point 1. The Domino Effect of 500 Years of History

The Age of Exploration brought about the Industrial Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution shaped the labor of today. By following the vast currents of human history over 500 years, we can understand the roots of how our present-day labor began.


Point 2. The hidden truth of the Age of Discovery

The brutal history that unfolded under the pretext of the “discovery of the New World.”
Along with the dark truth left behind by the Age of Exploration, you can learn about the diverse and fascinating stories hidden behind it.


Point 3. The Industrial Revolution and Labor

The Industrial Revolution, the most dramatic moment in shaping the way we work today. Discover the remarkable advances left in our daily lives by the First through Fourth Industrial Revolutions, and learn what results the new forms of work they created have brought about.


Point 4. AI and the Future of Work

How will our work change in the future as it is rapidly being replaced by AI and humanoid robots?
We will take an in-depth look at the changes in new forms of work that we will gradually come to face.

What is the “labor” we take for granted every day?
This course was created specifically for people like you.


✔️ Those curious about why we engage in repetitive labor every day

  • Those who want to learn the history of labor concepts they have taken for granted, such as commuting to and from work, annual salaries, and retirement…

  • Those who want to know how the Age of Exploration is connected to modern work culture

  • Those who want to understand our work today within the 500-year course of history

✔️ For those who want to know the truth about the Age of Exploration and the Industrial Revolution

  • Those who want to uncover the tragedies in human history caused by ignorance and the truth hidden behind heroes

  • Those who want to know the specific process by which the Age of Exploration sparked the Industrial Revolution

  • Those who want to learn about the hidden side of historical events such as Columbus, the slave trade, and the first joint-stock company

✔️ For those who want to prepare for the future of work in the AI era

  • Those who want to know how the work culture created by the Industrial Revolution will change in the AI era

  • Those who want to gain insight into the jobs that will disappear or newly emerge in the AI era

  • Those who want to understand the context of future changes in labor through the history of work


Now, follow the dominoes of history to understand your work today and prepare for the future ahead.
You can find your place within the grand flow of 500 years.

Notes Before Taking the Course


Practice environment

  • No separate practice environment setup is required.

  • You can take the course through a web browser.

Prerequisite Knowledge and Notes

  • No prior knowledge of history or the humanities is required.

  • What matters most is your curiosity about the history and changes of labor.

  • Recommended for those who want to gain insights into changes in labor in the AI era.

Learning materials

  • Lecture video materials are provided.

  • Additional materials based on the lecture content may be provided.


Recommended for
these people

Who is this course right for?

  • Those who want to know about the history and evolution of labor—why on earth we repeat the cycle of commuting to work, working, and then going home every day.

  • Those who have heard of the Age of Exploration and the Industrial Revolution but don’t know much about them, and want to learn about their reality and how they affected our work.

  • Those curious about what changes are currently taking place in human labor and how it will change in the future

  • Anyone who wants to build up their knowledge of the humanities and liberal arts

Need to know before starting?

  • An open-minded approach that seeks to connect the past and the present

Hello
This is rkwriter

117

Learners

6

Reviews

4.2

Rating

10

Courses

Reviews

Not enough reviews.
Please write a valuable review that helps everyone!

rkwriter's other courses

Check out other courses by the instructor!

Similar courses

Explore other courses in the same field!

Limited time deal

$4,866.00

50%

$59.40