Philosophy of engineering
Encyclopedia
The philosophy of engineering is an emerging discipline that considers what engineering
is, what engineers do and how their work impacts on society
. As such, the philosophy
of engineering includes aspects of ethics
and aesthetics
, as well as the ontology
, epistemology, etc. that might be studied in, for example, the philosophy of science
.
, through the design and manufacture of artifacts. It might then be contrasted with science
, the aim of which is to understand nature. The philosophy of engineering is then the consideration of philosophical issues as they apply to engineering. Such issues might include the objectivity of experiments, the ethics of engineering activity in the workplace and in society, the aesthetics of engineered artifacts, etc.
While engineering seems historically to have meant devising, the distinction between art, craft and technology isn’t clearcut. The Latin
root ars, the Germanic
root kraft and the Greek
root techne all originally meant the skill or ability to produce something, as opposed to, say, athletic ability. The something might be tangible, like a sculpture
or a building
, or less tangible, like a work of literature
. Nowadays, art is commonly applied to the visual, performing or literary fields, especially the so-called fine arts (‘the art of writing’), craft usually applies to the manual skill involved in the manufacture of an object, whether embroidery
or aircraft
(‘the craft of typesetting
’) and technology tends to mean the products and processes currently used in an industry (‘the technology of printing
’). In contrast, engineering is the activity of effecting change through the design and manufacture of artifacts (‘the engineering of print technology’).
from artistic design is the requirement for the engineer to make quantitative predictions of the behavior and effect of the artifact prior to its manufacture. Such predictions may be more or less accurate but should include the effects on individuals and society. In this sense, engineering must be considered a social as well a technological discipline and judged not just by whether its artifacts work, in a narrow sense, but also by how they influence and serve social values. What engineers do is always subject to moral
evaluation.
, utilities and their related infrastructures comprise human
elements as well as artifacts. Traditional mathematical and physical modeling
techniques may not take adequate account of the effects of engineering on people.
, finance
and sociology
. The design of any artifact must then take account of the conditions under which it will be manufactured, the conditions under which it will be used, and the conditions under which it will be disposed. Engineers must consider such "life cycle" issues without losing the precision and rigor necessary to design functional systems.
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
is, what engineers do and how their work impacts on society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
. As such, the philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
of engineering includes aspects of ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
and aesthetics
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
, as well as the ontology
Ontology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
, epistemology, etc. that might be studied in, for example, the philosophy of science
Philosophy of science
The philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
.
History
Engineering is the profession charged by society with modifying the natural environmentNatural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, through the design and manufacture of artifacts. It might then be contrasted with science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, the aim of which is to understand nature. The philosophy of engineering is then the consideration of philosophical issues as they apply to engineering. Such issues might include the objectivity of experiments, the ethics of engineering activity in the workplace and in society, the aesthetics of engineered artifacts, etc.
While engineering seems historically to have meant devising, the distinction between art, craft and technology isn’t clearcut. The Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
root ars, the Germanic
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
root kraft and the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
root techne all originally meant the skill or ability to produce something, as opposed to, say, athletic ability. The something might be tangible, like a sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
or a building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
, or less tangible, like a work of literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
. Nowadays, art is commonly applied to the visual, performing or literary fields, especially the so-called fine arts (‘the art of writing’), craft usually applies to the manual skill involved in the manufacture of an object, whether embroidery
Embroidery
Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....
or aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
(‘the craft of typesetting
Typesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner...
’) and technology tends to mean the products and processes currently used in an industry (‘the technology of printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
’). In contrast, engineering is the activity of effecting change through the design and manufacture of artifacts (‘the engineering of print technology’).
Ethics
What distinguishes engineering designDesign
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
from artistic design is the requirement for the engineer to make quantitative predictions of the behavior and effect of the artifact prior to its manufacture. Such predictions may be more or less accurate but should include the effects on individuals and society. In this sense, engineering must be considered a social as well a technological discipline and judged not just by whether its artifacts work, in a narrow sense, but also by how they influence and serve social values. What engineers do is always subject to moral
Moral
A moral is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim...
evaluation.
Modeling
Socio-technical systems, such as transportTransport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
, utilities and their related infrastructures comprise human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
elements as well as artifacts. Traditional mathematical and physical modeling
Mathematical model
A mathematical model is a description of a system using mathematical concepts and language. The process of developing a mathematical model is termed mathematical modeling. Mathematical models are used not only in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines A mathematical model is a...
techniques may not take adequate account of the effects of engineering on people.
Product life cycle
The traditional engineering disciplines seem discrete but the engineering of artifacts has implications that extend beyond such disciplines into areas that that might include psychologyPsychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
and sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
. The design of any artifact must then take account of the conditions under which it will be manufactured, the conditions under which it will be used, and the conditions under which it will be disposed. Engineers must consider such "life cycle" issues without losing the precision and rigor necessary to design functional systems.
See also
- Carl MitchamCarl MitchamCarl Mitcham is a philosopher of technology. Born in 1941, Mitcham is currently Professor of Liberal Arts and International Studies at the Colorado School of Mines and a professor at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee....
- Henry PetroskiHenry PetroskiHenry Petroski is an American engineer specializing in failure analysis. A professor both of civil engineering and history at Duke University, he is also a prolific author...
- Philosophy of technologyPhilosophy of technologyThe philosophy of technology is a philosophical field dedicated to studying the nature of technology and its social effects.- History :Considered under the rubric of the Greek term techne , the philosophy of technology goes to the very roots of Western philosophy.* In his Republic, Plato sees...
- Philosophy of sciencePhilosophy of scienceThe philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
- EthicsEthicsEthics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
Books
- P. & Gunn A.S. (1998), Engineering, Ethics, and the Environment, Cambridge University Press, New York
- Addis W (1990) Structural Engineering: The Nature of Theory and Design, Ellis Horwood, Chichester, UK
- Addis W (1986) Theory and Design in Civil and Structural Engineering: A Study in the History and Philosophy of Engineering, PhD Thesis, University of Reading
- Bucciarelli L.L. (2003) Engineering Philosophy, Delft University Press, Delft
- Bush V. (1980) Science,The Endless Frontier, National Science Foundation Press, Washington DC
- Beale N., Peyton-Jones S.L. et al. (1999) Cybernauts Awake Ethical and Spiritual Implications of Computers, Information Technology and the Internet Church House Publishing ISBN
- Cutcliffe S.H. (2000) Ideas, Machines and Values: An introduction to Science, Technology and Social Studies, Rowan and Littlefield, Lanham, MD
- Davis, M. (1998) Thinking like an Engineer: Studies in the Ethics of a Profession, Oxford University Press, New York.
- Florman, Samuel C. (1981) Blaming Technology: The Irrational Search for Scapegoats , St Martin’s Press, New York
- Florman, Samuel C. (1987) The Civilized Engineer, St Martin’s Press, New York
- Florman, Samuel C. (1968) Engineering and the Liberal Arts : A Technologist's Guide to History, Literature
- Florman, Samuel C. (1994) The Existential Pleasures of Engineering , 2nd ed, St Martin’s Press, New York
- Florman, Samuel C. (1996) The Introspective Engineer, St Martin’s Press, New York
- Goldman S.L. (1991) “The social captivity of Engineering”, Critical Perspectives on non academic Science and Engineering, (ed Durbin P.T.), Lehigh University Press, Bethlehem, PA
- Goldman S.L. (1990) “Philosophy, Engineering and Western Culture”, in Broad and Narrow interpretations of Philosophy of Technology, (ed Durbin P.T.), Kluwer,Amsterdam
- Harris E.C, Pritchard M.S. & Rabins M.J. (1995), Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases, Wadsworth, Belmont, CA
- Johnston, S., Gostelow, P., Jones, E. (1999), Engineering and Society: An Australian perspective, 2nd Ed. Longman,
- Lewis, Arthur O. Jr. ed. (1963), Of Men and Machines, E.P. Dutton
- Martin M.W. & Schinzinger R (1996), Ethics in Engineering , 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill, New York
- Mitcham C. (1999), Thinking through Technology: The Path between Engineering and Philosophy, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 19–38.
- Mumford L.Lewis MumfordLewis Mumford was an American historian, philosopher of technology, and influential literary critic. Particularly noted for his study of cities and urban architecture, he had a broad career as a writer...
(1970) The Myth of the MachineThe Myth of the MachineThe Myth of the Machine is a two volume series of books taking an in-depth look at the forces that have shaped modern technology since prehistoric times. The first volume, Technics and Human Development was published in 1967, followed by the second volume, The Pentagon of Power in 1970...
, Harcourt Brace Javonovich, New York - Petroski, Henry (??) To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design
- Simon H.Herbert SimonHerbert Alexander Simon was an American political scientist, economist, sociologist, and psychologist, and professor—most notably at Carnegie Mellon University—whose research ranged across the fields of cognitive psychology, cognitive science, computer science, public administration, economics,...
(1996), The Sciences of the Artificial, 3rd ed. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA - Unger S.H. (1994), Controlling Technology: Ethics and the Responsible Engineer , 2nd ed., John Wiley, New York
- Vincenti W.G. (1990) What Engineers Know and How They Know It: Analytical Studies from Aeronautical History, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md.
Articles
- Philosophy in the Making by Natasha McCarthy Ingenia March 26, 2006
- Creed M.J. (1993) “Introducing Structures in a Modern Curriculum”, Proceedings of the Conference, Innovation and Change in Civil Engineering Education, The Queen's University of Belfast
- Davis, M. (2001) The Professional Approach to Engineering Ethics: Five Research Questions, Science and Engineering Ethics 7 (July 2001): 379-390.
- Lewin D (1981) Engineering Philosophy - The Third Culture , Paper to the Royal Society, UK
- Mitcham C. (1994), "Engineering Design Research and Social Responsibility”, Ethics of Scientific Research , pp. 153–196 and 221-223
External links
- Philosophy in the Making by Natasha McCarthy Ingenia March 26, 2006
- Royal Academy of Engineering 'philosophy' seminars