Philosophy for Engineering (eBook)

Foreword 7
Preface 9
Contents 11
1 Introduction: From Engineering to Philosophy 14
1.1 What Defines Engineering? Practice, Context, Ethics, Models, Failure 14
1.2 Which Philosophers Do We Turn to? Popper, Kuhn, Polanyi, Heidegger 16
1.3 How Is This Book Engineered? 18
1.4 Summary 19
References 20
2 Are Engineers Makers or Thinkers? 21
2.1 Do Engineers Have an Identity Crisis? 21
2.2 The Engineer’s Influence: More Harm Than Good? 23
2.3 The Engineer’s Role: Scientist or Manager? 25
2.4 The Engineer’s Knowledge: Theoretical or Practical? 28
2.5 Formalizing Practice 30
2.6 Summary 31
References 32
3 Are Failures the Pillars of Success? 34
3.1 All Life Is Problem Solving 34
3.2 Popper’s Problem Solving Methodology 34
3.3 Extending the Methodology 36
3.4 Cyclic Engineering Processes 38
3.5 The Role of Failure in Engineering 44
3.6 Failures in Various Components of the CPM 46
3.7 The Genetic Algorithm for Optimization and Design 52
3.8 Summary 54
References 55
4 Will Any Old Model Do? 58
4.1 Paradigms and Revolutions 58
4.2 Normal Science Within the Ruling Paradigm 58
4.3 Scientific Revolutions and Progress 59
4.3.1 The Nature of Revolutions 59
4.3.2 A Different World 60
4.3.3 Progress Through Revolutions 62
4.4 Revolutions in Structural Design 63
4.4.1 Some Historical Revolutions 63
4.4.2 The Plastic Design Revolution 65
4.4.3 Relativity and Progress of Knowledge 67
4.5 Engineering Models 68
4.6 Summary 73
References 74
5 Shared Values for Aesthetics and Ethics? 75
5.1 Can Values Be Measured? 75
5.2 What Is an Elegant Solution? 75
5.3 Differing Views of Aesthetics 77
5.4 An Example of the Aesthetics of Proportion 79
5.5 Morality and Faith 81
5.6 Engineering Ethics 83
5.7 The Engineer, the Public and the Professional Institution 84
5.8 Summary 86
References 87
6 Is Technology Neutral? 89
6.1 Suspicion and Questioning 89
6.2 Technology and ‘Enframing’ 90
6.3 Art and Poetry 92
6.4 Questioning in Engineering Practice 93
6.5 Ethics and Metaphor 96
6.6 Two Caveats 97
6.7 Summary 98
References 98
7 Is Knowledge Acquired by Thinking or Doing? 100
7.1 Being and Time 100
7.2 The Primacy of Practice Over Theory 101
7.3 The Engineer’s Existential Role 103
7.4 Engineering in Time 106
7.5 From Average Everydayness to Existential Pleasure in Engineering 107
7.6 Summary 109
References 109
8 Can Practice Based Knowledge Be Formalized? 111
8.1 Practice Based Knowledge 111
8.2 Michael Polanyi: Tacit Knowing 112
8.3 Martin Heidegger: Pre-theoretical Shared Practices 114
8.4 Categories of Practice Based Knowledge 115
8.5 Practice Based Knowledge Modelling: Examples 116
8.5.1 Modelling Tacit Knowledge: Construction Bid Decisions 116
8.5.2 Modelling Shared Practice: Layout Design 117
8.5.3 Cognitivist Modelling: Expert System for Cracks in Concrete 118
8.5.4 Modelling Horizontal Knowledge: Vulnerability of Buildings to Bomb Blast 119
8.6 Polanyi, Heidegger and Artificial Intelligence 121
8.7 Summary 122
References 122
9 Conclusion: From Philosophy to Engineering 125
9.1 Looking Back 125
9.1.1 The Path We Have Taken 125
9.1.2 Practice 125
9.1.3 Context 126
9.1.4 Ethics 126
9.1.5 Models 127
9.1.6 Failure 128
9.2 Looking Forward 128
9.2.1 Paths not Trodden 128
9.2.2 Where Do We Go from Here? 130
9.3 Summary 131
References 131