UNIT 1

Introduction to Philosophy of Engineering

Unit 1 - Introduction to Philosophy of Engineering
Syllabus

► Define Engineering - History of Engineering Development

► Practice 1: Compare Prehistory, Medieval and Present Engineering
Development - Relation between Arts, Mathematics, Science, Technology and
Engineering - STEAM Pyramid
► Practice 2: STEAM Pyramid Analysis: Is Art Context Necessary? - Desired
Attributes of an Engineer - Engineering Habits of Mind
► Practice 3: Case Study on Attributes of an Engineer.
Engineering - Introduction

► What is Engineering ?
Engineering - Introduction

► “Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying technical and scientific

knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and
implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely
realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria.”

► The Watt steam engine, a major driver in the industrial revolution, underscores the
importance of engineering in modern history. This model is on display at the main
building of the ETSII in Madrid, Spain
Engineering - Introduction

► The American Engineers' Council for Professional Development (ECPD, the

predecessor of ABET) has defined engineering as follows:

► “The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures,

machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly
or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their
design; or to forecast their behaviour under specific operating conditions; all as
respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and
property.”
Engineering - Introduction

► One who practices engineering is called an engineer, and those licensed to do so

may have more formal designations such as European Engineer, Professional
Engineer, Chartered Engineer, or Incorporated Engineer.
► The broad discipline of engineering encompasses a range of more specialized sub
disciplines, each with a more specific emphasis on certain fields of application and
particular areas of technology.
History

► The concept of engineering has existed since ancient times

► The term engineering has a much more recent etymology, deriving from the
word engineer, which itself dates back to 1325

► The word “engine” is of even older origin, ultimately deriving from

the Latin ingenium (1250), meaning “innate quality, especially mental power,
hence a clever invention.”
Ancient Era

► Ancient Civil and military engineer constructions???

► Ancient Greece developed machines in both in the civilian and military

domains. The Antikythera mechanism, the earliest known model of
a mechanical computer in history, and the
mechanical inventions of Archimedes are examples of early mechanical
engineering.

► Chinese and Roman armies employed complex military machines including

the Ballista and catapult.

► In the Middle Ages, the Trebuchet was developed.

Middle Era

► An Iraqi by the name of al-Jazari helped influence the design of today's modern
machines when sometime in between 1174 and 1200 he built five machines to
pump water for the kings of the Turkish Artuqid dynasty and their palaces.
► The double-acting reciprocating piston pump was instrumental in the later
development of engineering in general because it was the first machine to
incorporate both the connecting rod and the crankshaft, thus,
converting rotational motion to reciprocating motion.
Renaissance Era

► The first electrical engineer is considered to be William Gilbert,

with his 1600 publication of De Magnete, who was the originator
of the term "electricity".

► The first steam engine was built in 1698 by mechanical

engineer Thomas Savery. The development of this device gave
rise to the industrial revolution in the coming decades, allowing
for the beginnings of mass production.

► With the rise of engineering as a profession in the eighteenth

century, the term became more narrowly applied to fields in
which mathematics and science were applied to these ends.
Similarly, in addition to military and civil engineering the fields
then known as the mechanic arts became incorporated into
engineering.
Modern Era
► Electrical Engineering can trace its origins in the experiments of Alessandro Volta in the
1800s, the experiments of Michael Faraday, Georg Ohm and others and the invention of
the electric motor in 1872. The work of James Maxwell and Heinrich Hertz in the late
19th century gave rise to the field of Electronics.

► The later inventions of the vacuum tube and the transistor further accelerated the
development of Electronics to such an extent that electrical and electronics engineers
currently outnumber their colleagues of any other Engineering specialty.

► The inventions of Thomas Savery and the Scottish engineer James Watt gave rise to
modern Mechanical Engineering. The development of specialized machines and their
maintenance tools during the industrial revolution led to the rapid growth of
Mechanical Engineering both in its birthplace Britain and abroad.

►
Modern Era

► Chemical Engineering , like its counterpart Mechanical Engineering, developed in the nineteenth
century during the Industrial Revolution . Industrial scale manufacturing demanded new materials
and new processes and by 1880 the need for large scale production of chemicals was such that a
new industry was created, dedicated to the development and large scale manufacturing of
chemicals in new industrial plants. The role of the chemical engineer was the design of these
chemical plants and processes.

► Aeronautical Engineering deals with aircraft design while Aerospace Engineering is a more
modern term that expands the reach envelope of the discipline by including spacecraft design. Its
origins can be traced back to the aviation pioneers around the turn of the century from the 19th
century to the 20th although the work of Sir George Cayley has recently been dated as being from
the last decade of the 18th century. Early knowledge of aeronautical engineering was largely
empirical with some concepts and skills imported from other branches of engineering. Only a
decade after the successful flights by the Wright brothers , the 1920s saw extensive development of
aeronautical engineering through development of World War I military aircraft. Meanwhile,
research to provide fundamental background science continued by combining theoretical
physics with experiments.
Arts, Mathematics, Science, Technology
and Engineering
► Art is a wide range of human activities (or the products thereof) that involve
creative imagination and an aim to express technical proficiency, beauty,
emotional power, or conceptual ideas.
► The three classical branches of visual art are painting, sculpture,
and architecture.
► The creative arts are often divided into more specific categories, typically along
perceptually distinguishable categories such as media, genre, styles, and form.
Art and Art Form

► Wide range of human activities

► Visual art
► Creative arts
► Art form
Non-motivated functions

► Basic human instinct for harmony, balance, rhythm

► Experience of the mysterious

► Expression of the imagination

► Ritualistic and symbolic functions

Motivated Functions

► Motivated purposes of art refer to intentional, conscious actions on the part of

the artists or creator. These may be to bring about political change, to comment
on an aspect of society, to convey a specific emotion or mood, to address personal
psychology, to illustrate another discipline, to (with commercial arts) sell a
product, or simply as a form of communication.
► Communication
► Art as entertainment
► Art for political change
Motivated Functions

► Art as a "free zone",

► Art for social inquiry, subversion or anarchy
► Art for social causes
► Art for psychological and healing purposes.
► Art for propaganda, or commercialism.
► Art as a fitness indicator
Mathematics

► The science of structure, order, and relation that has evolved from elemental
practices of counting, measuring, and describing the shapes of objects. It deals
with logical reasoning and quantitative calculation, and its development has
involved an increasing degree of idealization and abstraction of its subject matter.
Since the 17th century, mathematics has been an indispensable adjunct to the
physical sciences and technology, and in more recent times it has assumed a
similar role in the quantitative aspects of the life sciences.
► All mathematical systems (for example, Euclidean geometry) are combinations of
sets of axioms and of theorems that can be logically deduced from the axioms.
Inquiries into the logical and philosophical basis of mathematics reduce to
questions of whether the axioms of a given system ensure its completeness and its
consistency.
Science

► The earliest roots of science can be traced to Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia in
around 3000 to 1200 BCE. Their contributions to mathematics, astronomy,
and medicine entered and shaped Greek natural philosophy of classical antiquity,
whereby formal attempts were made to provide explanations of events in
the physical world based on natural causes.
► Modern science is typically divided into three major branches that consist of
the natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, and physics), which study nature in
the broadest sense; the social sciences (e.g., economics, psychology, and sociology),
which study individuals and societies; and the formal
sciences (e.g., logic, mathematics, and theoretical computer science), which deal
with symbols governed by rules.
Technology

► The word "technology" can also be used to refer to a collection of techniques. In

this context, it is the current state of humanity's knowledge of how to combine
resources to produce desired products, to solve problems, fulfill needs, or satisfy
wants; it includes technical methods, skills, processes, techniques, tools and raw
materials. When combined with another term, such as "medical technology" or
"space technology," it refers to the state of the respective field's knowledge and
tools. "State-of-the-art technology" refers to the high technology available to
humanity in any field.
STEAM PYRAMID
STEAM

► STEM education was introduced in order to improve competitiveness in Science and

Technology in the United States in 2003.
► STEM teaches science, technology, engineering, mathematics in an integrated way. In
2007 George yakman has announced STEAM in addition art to the STEM.
► Yakman said by the STEAM education we can increase their relevance to real life
and interests. Many education scholars into a unified art in STEM education, said be
STEAM.
► Out from the dichotomous thinking such that science of conventional is logical and
art is not logical, STEAM is to foster creative human resources by integrating STEM
and art.
STEAM PYRAMID

► The STEAM pyramid was built to help educators and students see the subjects
involved in STEAM and the learning approaches practiced at each level.
► Understanding the framework is important for teachers to provide appropriate teaching
plans and activities for their students.
► As for the students, they can clearly know the subject in each field.
► For example, the subject science fields involved are biology, chemistry, physics,
biochemistry, geoscience and so on.
Desired Attributes of an Engineer

► 1. Teamwork
► 2. Continuous learning
► 3. Creativity
► 4. Problem solving
► 5. Analytical ability
► 6. Communication skills
► 7. Logical thinking
► 8. Attention to detail
► 9. Mathematical ability
► 10. Leadership
1. Team work

► Teamwork drives the successful completion of a project.

► No one can complete a project on their own; they need others to contribute.
► There are functions that can be performed individually, but more often than
not, an engineer will be part of a bigger team, and must be able to work well
therein.
► Courtesy and tact goes a long way in building team trust.
► Project details are often presented to managers and customers, and these
interactions may become confrontational.
► An engineer must understand everybody’s position and should not feel
attacked, keep team members informed, and always present facts accurately.
Continuous Learning

► Technology and methodologies are constantly changing, and nowhere is this

truer than in engineering.
► A successful engineer is able to keep track of the latest technological updates
and capable of delivering the best value and quality work.
► Engineers are curious by nature.
► They are interested in understanding how things work.
Creativity

► It may sound clichéd, but successful engineers have an innate ability to 'think
outside the box’.
► The engineering industry runs on the ability to creatively solve problems.
► Engineers able to bring passion, creative solutions and big ideas to the table are
more valuable as businesses depend on creativity to efficiently resolve problems
or improve the efficiency of existing systems and processes.
Problem Solving

► Any project, no matter how big or small, will face problems.

► An engineer must be able to effectively address these as they arise.
► They must meticulously study the problem, fully understand the impact it has on
the project, and then apply their analytical skills in a methodical and efficient way
in order to identify the root cause.
► To effectively solve problems an engineer must also have the ability to truly
listen to the problem 'owner'. By attentively listening an engineer is able to fully
comprehend what the problem consists of and provide solutions from a
well-informed standpoint.
Analytical Ability

► The ability to effectively solve problems goes hand-in-hand with the ability
to properly analyse problems.
► Various methodologies may have to be tested before committing resources to
guarantee a successful solution.
Communication skills

► Communication is more than reading, writing, speaking or listening.

► For an engineer it means the ability to not only understand technical complexities,
but the ability to succinctly and effectively translate technical jargon into
layman’s terms without patronising others.
► Engineers communicate with people at many different levels, from unskilled
workers to directors. The ability to communicate in a respectful, clear and concise
manner is critical to ensure that the core message is effectively relayed.
Logical thinking

► To fully comprehend complex systems an engineer must understand all aspects of

the system.
► An engineer must know how the system works, what can go wrong and how
to fix it.
► This requires an ability to think logically, and evaluate and understand each
element that makes it up.
► Successful engineers are naturally curious and always looking for ways to make
things better. They have to be able to analyse an existing system to understand
how the different pieces work individually and as a unit.
Attention to detail

► Successful engineers pay meticulous attention to the smallest of details.

► They understand that the slightest error may cause a structure to fail, a system
to malfunction or software to glitch.
► A smallest error can cost a significant amount of money or, in some cases, be
fatal.
► Complex projects may have a large number of steps to complete and having one
tiny thing out of place may delay an entire project. Being detail orientated
during the planning and development phases is pivotal for overall success.
Successful engineers know that their success depends on their ability to control
the details. Never assume something is too small or insignificant to care about.
Mathematical Ability

► Software has replaced almost all of the complex derivative equations engineers
used to do manually.
► Even though engineers are no longer required to do these complex calculations
themselves it doesn't mean that, to be successful, they don't have to possess
excellent mathematical skills.
► Engineers must be well-versed in trigonometry and calculus in order to use
software packages and be able to interpret the results derived from them.
► They must be able to understand the type of calculations required to ensure the
correct type of simulation is performed, and that models are correctly defined
when performing simulations.
Leadership

► Leadership ability encompasses many of the characteristics already mentioned on

this list.
► But being a leader is far more than this.
► It also requires excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to inspire and motivate
others to drive a team to achieve success.
ABET
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

► ABET EC 2000 Engineering Accreditation Criteria (Criterion 3) In 1996 ABET

(formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), the influential
engineering accreditation board, adopted a new set of standards for
undergraduate engineering education, called Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000)
(ABET, 2014a). EC2000 shifted the focus of undergraduate engineering
accreditation from lists of required courses to eleven learning outcomes.
ABET Engineering criteria
the influential engineering accreditation board, adopted a new set of standards for
undergraduate engineering education, called Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000) (ABET,
2014a).

a. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

appropriate to discipline.

► b. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and

interpret data

► c. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired

needs

► d. The ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams

► . An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

► f. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

► g. An ability to communicate effectively

► h. The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering

► solutions in a global and societal context

► i. A recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning

► j. A knowledge of contemporary issues

► k. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary
for engineering practice
International Technology Education Association
(ITEA) ITEA Categories Defining Technological Literacy

► 1. Understanding the Nature of Technology.

► 2. Understanding of Technology and Society.

► 3. Understanding of Design.

► 4. Abilities for a Technological World.

► 5. Understanding of the Designed World

Engineering Learning Habits
System Thinking

► Systems thinking was universally supported as an important EHoM but was

felt to be particularly difficult to cultivate, perhaps being of most importance
the more advanced the level of engineering became:

► The idea that everything you do sort of builds to making you into a rounded,
capable person who can link all the knowledge together is the one that
perhaps we could work on.
Problem Finding

► Problem-finding was also regarded as a sophisticated EHoM and more likely

to be exercised by experienced engineers or by learners after they had
successfully built up a repertoire of approaches to problem solving based on
given problems:

► Some respondents wondered whether ‘finding’ was the best term, suggesting
‘formulating’ or ‘framing’ as alternatives. But the majority agreed that
separating out problem-finding from problem-solving was important.
Visualizing

► Visualising was regarded as an important EHOM for all education sectors to

cultivate, since it enabled an engineer to take an abstract idea and
communicate a practical solution in a more concrete form:

► To be able to take something abstract and then make it into a practical

solution, you have to have that sort of visualisation to be able to do that.
Improving

► Improving, or a relentless drive to improve products, was regarded as a core

characteristic of an engineer. It was the result of constant tinkering and
experimenting to find better solutions:

► They [engineers] are never fully satisfied with a product or outcome and will
try and modify and improve what they have designed or produced to make it
better

► However, this was not just for the sake of it, the underlying drive was to move
society forward:

► It’s all about making things easier for people’s lives...whether it’s a product
that you’re making simpler to use, or making something quicker to use… its
improving people’s lives.
Creative problem solving

► You often have to bring ideas from different disciplines and different
divisions to solve the problem.

► However, other thought that being creative might be in conflict with the
requirements to consider previous solutions to problems and to adhere to
recognised standards:

► It is common in engineering to use concepts that are not original. Engineers

would not normally think that they were being creative unless at least one of
the options involved a new concept. Therefore the qualification of problem
solving by the adjective creative excludes a lot of engineering work.
Adapting

► Adapting is very important; a lot of engineering is doing the same things only
slightly differently.

► Several respondents suggested that it was unlikely that all our EHoM would
be found in one engineer and stressed the overall importance of the team in
successful engineering projects. Nevertheless, they argued that engineers
should be sufficiently self-aware to know when it was appropriate to draw on
the skills of others in the team: I think good engineers, certainly in a team, can
do that. They can do what they have to do but they can also sort of observe
themselves doing it and ask, “Am I using the appropriate skills at the
appropriate points in all of this?
Practice Approaches

UNIT I

Practice 1: Compare Prehistory, Medieval and Present Document (or) PPT

Engineering Development Presentation (or) Chart
Preparation
Practice 2: STEAM Pyramid Analysis: Is Art Context Group Discussion (or) PPT
Necessary? Presentation

Practice 3: Case Study on Attributes of an Engineer Document