Replacing is better than helping, though. It frees people up to develop capital – the very source of progress you speak of! More capital development, more progress.

If you still have to do the same job, but better, then you aren't be freed up for a higher level purpose. If we had taken your stance in earlier days of human history we'd all still be out standing in the field. Doing it slightly better perhaps, but still there, "wasting" time.

No, we are clearly better off that almost every job from the past was replaced. And we will be better off when our current jobs are replaced so that our time is freed up so to move onto the next big thing.

You don't think we have reached the pinnacle of human achievement already, surely?