A machine is producing one cog every minute, which accounts for 1% of the total job.
100 cogs equal 100% of the job. So far so good?
What is the cost per cog?
The total cost of the job / 100 would be the best answer that any normal, sane person could give. Without knowing a denomination you have no basis to accurately assign cost. Or do you?
A market economy will dictate the cost, making this process more efficient. Decentralizing the mathematics and the structures of logic will force the metaphysical forces, the invisible hand of the market to take forme.
For me, the cog is worthless. For 10,000 people the cog is valuable. Each person's valuation is subjective. How can we have subjective mathematics? We use variables. The math can get much more complicated than this but for this example, it will serve its purpose.
Out of the 10,000 people that assign a value to the cog, do they have the ability to take action? An ability to respond? Do they have a responsibility?