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Engineering and Philosophy

Reimagining Technology and Social Progress

  • Comprehensive overview of contemporary research topics in Philosophy of Engineering and Technology
  • Focuses on practical frameworks of ethics in relation to engineering and technology
  • Includes chapters on policy implications, design and maintenance of systems and links to art and literature

Part of the book series: Philosophy of Engineering and Technology (POET, volume 37)

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Table of contents (18 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
  2. Reimagining Conceptions of Technological and Societal Progress

    • Zachary Pirtle, David Tomblin, Guru Madhavan
    Pages 1-21
  3. Technological Progress: Reimagining How Engineering Relates to the Sciences

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 23-23
    2. Technological Progress in the Life Sciences

      • Janella Baxter
      Pages 53-79
  4. Technological Progress: Re-imagining Engineering Knowledge

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 81-81
    2. Prehistoric Stone Tools and their Epistemic Complexity

      • Manjari Chakrabarty
      Pages 101-121
  5. Social Progress: Considering Engineers’ Ethical Principles

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 141-141
    2. Broadening Engineering Identity: Moving beyond Problem Solving

      • Thomas Siller, Gerry Johnson, Russell Korte
      Pages 181-195
  6. Reimagining Values and Culture in Engineering and Engineered Systems

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 197-197
  7. Re-imagining How Engineering Relates to Complex Sociotechnical Systems

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 235-235
    2. The Impact of Robot Companions on the Moral Development of Children

      • Yvette Pearson, Jason Borenstein
      Pages 237-248
  8. Reimagining Social Progress in Democracy, and the Need to Align Engineering to Social Values

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 269-269

About this book

​Engineers love to build “things” and have an innate sense of wanting to help society. However, these desires are often not connected or developed through reflections on the complexities of philosophy, biology, economics, politics, environment, and culture. To guide future efforts and to best bring about human flourishment and a just world, Engineering and Philosophy: Reimagining Technology and Progress brings together practitioners and scholars to inspire deeper conversations on the nature and varieties of engineering. The perspectives in this book are an act of reimagination: how does engineering serve society, and in a vital sense, how should it.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Independent Scholar, Washington, DC, USA

    Zachary Pirtle

  • University of Maryland, College Park, USA

    David Tomblin

  • National Academy of Engineering, Washington, DC, USA

    Guru Madhavan

About the editors

Zachary Pirtle is a researcher of systems engineering and philosophy based in Washington, D.C., as well as a program executive and engineer enabling science and human exploration on the Moon.

David Tomblin is director of the Science, Technology and Society program at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Guru Madhavan is the Norman R. Augustine Senior Scholar and senior director of programs at the National Academy of Engineering.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Engineering and Philosophy

  • Book Subtitle: Reimagining Technology and Social Progress

  • Editors: Zachary Pirtle, David Tomblin, Guru Madhavan

  • Series Title: Philosophy of Engineering and Technology

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70099-7

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-70098-0Published: 15 May 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-70101-7Published: 15 May 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-70099-7Published: 14 May 2021

  • Series ISSN: 1879-7202

  • Series E-ISSN: 1879-7210

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: IX, 376

  • Number of Illustrations: 35 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Philosophy of Technology, Engineering Ethics

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access