Fist, Stone, Steel

In the picture

1. 1A clenched fist on a forearm: the body’s own gripping and striking capacity
2. 2A stone hammer: a hard mineral head extending the fist’s strike
3. 3A steel hammer: a refined metal head extending the same strike with greater force
4. 4A split rock: the result of concentrated striking power on nature

Examples

• A kitchen knife extends the teeth’s cutting action.
• A bicycle extends the legs' walking motion.

Quiz: Fist, Stone, Steel (Age 17)

1. 1

   According to the card, how do tools extend bodily capacities?

   • They copy bodily movements without changing what the body can do.
   • They make bodily capacities less durable by adding soft parts.
   • They add hard, shaped, durable parts that extend what the body can do.
2. 2

   In the card’s example, what does the steel hammer add to the fist’s strike?

   • A stone head that makes the strike softer and more spread out.
   • A gripping motion that replaces the strike entirely.
   • A refined metal head that extends the same strike with greater force.
3. 3

   What broader point does the card make about tools and human power?

   • By extending the body, tools increase human power over nature.
   • Tools increase human power over nature only when they are made from stone.
   • Tools leave human power over nature unchanged because they are separate from the body.

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.