The engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi, publishes a quarterly magazine where engineers of various backgrounds contribute essays and opinions. It’s a great way to stay informed of TBP events and the articles are frequently thought provoking. One such article was written by Samuel Florman, called “Facing Facts about the Engineering Profession.” You can download the full text of the article in PDF format. I took issue with a number of things but my letter to the editor collects my opinions best.
The sigh of resignation is deafening in Samuel Florman’s article “Facing Facts about the Engineering Profession”. He says, “engineers will not play a significant role as legislators…and perhaps that is all for the best.” It’s clear throughout the piece that Mr. Florman had aspirations for his colleagues, but they disappointed him. Unfortunately, like a typical engineer, he is content to point out flaws in the design, but not extroverted enough to push hard for change. When I went to the 2006 I/ITSEC conference and asked the Congressional Modeling and Simulation Caucus what they could do to promote civic responsibility in engineering, I got hems and haws in response. The caucus is mostly composed of lawyers (54%). Where are the engineers? I got a few handshakes after the meeting and thought about our situation. Politics isn’t going to change, so engineers will have to evolve. We need to broaden our education: more courses in ethics, history, and debate are absolutely necessary. It’s the only way to defy our stereotype, get engineers elected, and bring intellectual diversity into politics.
Mr. Florman has years of experience in his profession but his hopes gave way to a die hard stereotype of engineers. I hope I can change, personally or nationally, the typical view of engineers he accepts with such reluctance.
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