Philosophy and Engineering Erik Nelson

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1 Philosophy and Engineering Erik Nelson 1. What is an Engineer? 2. How does an Engineer work? 3. How can clarifying these definitions improve the education and Body of Knowledge (BOK2)? ASCE Definition OK or Not OK 1

2 What is Engineering? CE Body of Knowledge (BOK2) report PG 50 Civil Engineers are fundamentally Applied Scientists y = cosh(x) = (e^x + e^ x)/2 Is Engineering Applied Science? 2

Pier Luigi Nervi Structures "It is highly regrettable that some of the

apprehension, have been banned from our schools and have been overwhelmed by

BOK2 pg 146 Billington'Structural Art and Robert Maillart' Maillart the

3 Pier Luigi Nervi Structures "It is highly regrettable that some of the highest qualities of the human mind, such as intuition and direct apprehension, have been banned from our schools and have been overwhelmed by abstract and impersonal mathematical formulas. BOK2 pg 146 Billington'Structural Art and Robert Maillart' Maillart the forms are by no means inevitable outcomes of the natural laws of mechanics the original choice of form is fairly arbitrary. 3

Torroja's Philosophy of Structures (1958) "The calculation of stresses can only

proposed by the intuition of the designer.

" Eduardo Torroja (William Addis) CE Body of Knowledge (BOK2) report PG 114

4 Torroja's Philosophy of Structures (1958) "The calculation of stresses can only serve to check and to correct the sizes of structural members as conceived and proposed by the intuition of the designer. The work itself is never born from calculation." Eduardo Torroja (William Addis) CE Body of Knowledge (BOK2) report PG 114 Engineers Solve Problems in Mathematics through Differential Equations and apply this knowledge to civil engineering problems What is it with our fetish with calculus? 4

5 'Structural Art and Robert Maillart 'Maillart's thin Stabbogen bridges are rational within the limits that he sets for himself but there is no rationale for those limits themselves'. 5

6 One does not actually create the form; one lets it become, as it has to according to its own law. Heinz Isler How does Design happen? 6

7 Bracing Design Plato s Trinity 7

8 Design may happen for Correctness My principal motivating philosophy is the drive towards 'correctness' 'in building under the impetus of 'b 'absolute lt imperatives' and beyond this towards the integration of art in building. Nervi's Aesthetics and Technology in Building (1965a) Peter Rice 8

9 CE Body of Knowledge (BOK2) report PG 1 the manner in which civil engineering is practiced must change 9

If this was a motive behind the Vision 2025, why would this not be

10 CE Body of Knowledge (BOK2) report PG 39 Our educators need to be Scholars. Ch 1 of BOK2 Is this quote really Okay? If this was a motive behind the Vision 2025, why would this not be kept secret? We don t have to yearn for something, we can actually do it!!! We don t need this. 10

11 Why not Design? Is Design about Matrix Analysis? 11

previously exist, whereas science is the discovering

Technological results are forms that exist only

results are information of what exists independently

12 Why are we not making stuff in School? Engineering is the making of things that did not previously exist, whereas science is the discovering of things that have long existed. Technological results are forms that exist only because people want to make them, whereas scientific results are information of what exists independently of human intentions. Technology deals with the artificial, science with the natural. (Billington 1985) 12

13 BOK2 Changes Is this Best Preparation / Life Humanities To Demonstrate Importance? Entry into Practice Requires 11 technical and 9 professional 13

woman, like Socrates, is best prepared to live a life of

14 Why does BOK need to be so Specific on Eng? Importance of the Liberal Arts The liberally educated man or woman, like Socrates, is best prepared to live a life of learning this is essential to happiness (the practical result is fulfilling vision 2025). 14

15 Socrates and Meno Many live with the confidence in their knowledge. Well, Socrates helps by prodding / questioning How do you want to live life? Knowledge acquisition is not the answer. Socrates knows that understanding our own ignorance is necessary for learning to take place Liberal Education vs. Flocculation Tanks The best preparation for life is less the acquisition of knowledge than the understanding of our ignorance. B + M/30 + PhD??? This is unsustainable We can cram their heads with more and more stuff (Post tensioning to today s Sustainable / Green knowledge. Or we can liberate their minds and provide them tools to become lifelong learners. You choose. 15

16 the unexamined life is not worth living Let it not be said of our engineering schools that we prepared our students for a life not worth living. Key Take Aways More (Math, Science, or Practical Design) is not the answer Our Engineering Faculty should be continuously practicing. Engineers are not Applied Scientists 16

Tuning-CALOHEE Assessment Frameworks for the Subject Area of CIVIL ENGINEERING The Tuning-CALOHEE Assessment Frameworks for Civil Engineering offers

Tuning-CALOHEE Assessment Frameworks for the Subject Area of CIVIL ENGINEERING The Tuning-CALOHEE Assessment Frameworks for Civil Engineering offers an important and novel tool for understanding, defining