A Thorough Discussion on Social Aspects of Engineering

The chapter discusses the relationships and linkages between the extended Engineering profession
and other intangible facets of human society. While describing how basic human needs, which
engineers were used to satisfy, had transformed in the 21st Century into a milieu of almost unlimited
desires and wishes, the author emphasizes the new challenges Engineering faces today. The drive to
write this Chapter emerges from reading Nagib Callaos’ work on “Engineering and Mete-Engineering.”
One outcome resulting from this change of desires, affects the designing, planning and crafting of
products and services, which should meet vague desires and fuzzy ideas. In that way they totally
differ from the previous duties and mission of engineering. Future Engineering should therefore, be
more emotional, inclining to encompass touchy subjects, intangible and spiritual concerns. Thus,
Engineering should be perceived as a combination of Art and Science.