Engineers and engineering history: problems and perspectives

Author: Antoine Picon

Source: History and Technology, Volume 20, Number 4, December 2004 , pp. 421-436(16)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

In past decades, the history of engineers and engineering has seen spectacular development. Despite this, major interrogations are still left unanswered. This article examines some of these pending questions, like the type of relation that exists between engineering knowledge and practice, or the complex articulation between continuities and discontinuities that characterizes engineering history. Finally, the article proposes to focus on engineering rationality as a possible way to address some of these issues. In order to do so, engineering rationality is not to be confused with some kind of generic and abstract logic. On the contrary, it must be historicized.

Keywords: Engineering; History; Science; Rationality; Education; Practice

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0734151042000304367

Publication date: 2004-12-01

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