Is Science Merely Applied Engineering? David E. Goldberg University of Illinois Urbana, Illinois 61801 [email_address] (c) 2008 David E. Goldberg

What is Engineering? The scientist merely explores that which exists, while the engineer creates what has never existed before . Theodore von Kármán A demarcation problem. What is difference between and relation of science & engineering? Theodore von Kármán (1881-1963)

The scientist merely explores that which exists, while the engineer creates what has never existed before . Theodore von Kármán

A demarcation problem.

What is difference between and relation of science & engineering?

Is Engineering Applied Science? Commonly held: Engineering is merely applied science. One critique: Vincenti, What Engineer’s Know & How They Know It. A history lesson from Francis Bacon’s Great Instauration. www.sirbacon.org Bacon considered by many the father of modern science.

Commonly held: Engineering is merely applied science.

One critique: Vincenti, What Engineer’s Know & How They Know It.

A history lesson from Francis Bacon’s Great Instauration.

www.sirbacon.org

Bacon considered by many the father of modern science.

London We’ve Got a Problem That the state of knowledge is not prosperous…and that a way must be opened for the human understanding entirely different from any hitherto known… in order that the mind may exercise over the nature of things the authority which properly belongs to it. Francis Bacon 1561-1626

That the state of knowledge is not prosperous…and that a way must be opened for the human understanding entirely different from any hitherto known… in order that the mind may exercise over the nature of things the authority which properly belongs to it.

The Problem: Stuck on Aristotle Bacon on the problem with science: … all the tradition and succession of schools is still a succession of masters and scholars, not of inventors and those who bring to further perfection the things invented .

Bacon on the problem with science:

… all the tradition and succession of schools is still a succession of masters and scholars, not of inventors and those who bring to further perfection the things invented .

More Bacon: Invent Knowledge In the mechanical arts we do not find it so: they, on the contrary, as having in them some breath of life, are continually growing and becoming more perfect. As originally invented they are commonly rude, clumsy, and shapeless; afterwards they acquire new powers and more commodious arrangements and constructions;… Philosophy and the intellectual sciences, on the contrary, stand like statues.

In the mechanical arts we do not find it so: they, on the contrary, as having in them some breath of life, are continually growing and becoming more perfect. As originally invented they are commonly rude, clumsy, and shapeless; afterwards they acquire new powers and more commodious arrangements and constructions;… Philosophy and the intellectual sciences, on the contrary, stand like statues.

Oops! Science from Engineering We’ve got it backwards. Father of science, Bacon, insists that science must learn from mechanical arts. Engineering is not merely applied science . More accurate & equally haughty: Science is merely engineering applied to the invention of concepts. If scientist puts engineering down, give a little history lesson.

We’ve got it backwards.

Father of science, Bacon, insists that science must learn from mechanical arts.

Engineering is not merely applied science .

More accurate & equally haughty: Science is merely engineering applied to the invention of concepts.

If scientist puts engineering down, give a little history lesson.