"Why would anyone hire a human at any cost to do a repetitive and low-added-value job that a robot can do perfectly, without error, without ever arguing or getting tired, etc. AND AT NO MARGINAL COST??"
Because the robot costs money up front. If energy, maintenance, depreciation, and amortization of the robot exceeds the marginal cost, errors and oversight of the human, then it's rational to keep paying the human.
Raising the cost of the human makes the robot more attractive sooner.
> Raising the cost of the human makes the robot more attractive sooner.
Which is exactly why the minimum wage should rise. Just like the price of coal energy should rise or the cost of unsustainable goods should rise.
People are a limited resource and you can get only so many people over time. It is important that people, who are entities of incredible intelligence should be repurposed to harder and mentally more involved processes.
Because the robot costs money up front. If energy, maintenance, depreciation, and amortization of the robot exceeds the marginal cost, errors and oversight of the human, then it's rational to keep paying the human.
Raising the cost of the human makes the robot more attractive sooner.