This co-edited volume compares Chinese and Western experiences of engineering, technology, and development. In doing so, it builds a bridge between the East and West and advances a dialogue in the philosophy of engineering. Divided into three parts, the book starts with studies on epistemological and ontological issues, with a special focus on engineering design, creativity, management, feasibility, and sustainability. Part II considers relationships between the history and philosophy of engineering, and includes a general argument for the necessity of dialogue between history and philosophy. It continues with a general introduction to traditional Chinese attitudes toward engineering and technology, and philosophical case studies of the Chinese steel industry, railroads, and cybernetics in the Soviet Union. Part III focuses on engineering, ethics, and society, with chapters on engineering education and practice in China and the West. The book's analyses of the interactions of science,engineering, ethics, politics, and policy in different societal contexts are of special interest. The volume as a whole marks a new stage in the emergence of the philosophy of engineering as a new regionalization of philosophy. This carefully edited interdisciplinary volume grew out of an international conference on the philosophy of engineering hosted by the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. It includes 30 contributions by leading philosophers, social scientists, and engineers from Australia, China, Europe, and the United States.

Inhalt

Chapter 1. On Relationships between the History and Philosophy of Engineering (LI Bocong).- Chapter 2. Critical Thinking and Heuristics: What Philosophy Can Learn from Engineering about the Back of the Envelope (Diane P. MICHELFELDER).- Chapter 3. Ontology of Technical Artifacts: A Proposal (Hans POSER).- Chapter 4. Toward an Experimental Philosophy of Engineering (WANG Dazhou).- Chapter 5. Feasibility and Acceptability in Engineering (WANG Guoyu, LI Lei and CAO Xu).- Chapter 6. Ancient Chinese Attitudes toward Technics: Chinese Philosophy of Technology Prior to the 1800s (WANG Nan).- Chapter 7. From Engineering to the Philosophy of Engineering: Philosophical Reflections of an Engineer (YIN Ruiyu).- Chapter 8. An Engineer's Approach to the Philosophy of Engineering (Erik W. ASLAKSEN).- Chapter 9. A Biomimetic Approach to Complex Global Problems (James L. BARNES, Susan K. BARNES, and Michael J. DYRENFURTH).- Chapter 10. The Philosophy of Engineering and the Engineering Worldview (Terry BRISTOL).- Chapter 11. Toward a Practical Philosophy of Engineering: Dealing with Complex Problems from the Sustainability Discourse (Donald HECTOR, Carleton CHRISTENSEN, and Jim PETRIE).- Chapter 12. What Do Bridges and Software Tell Us about the Philosophy of Engineering? (Viola SCHIAFFONATI and Mario VERDICCHIO).- Chapter 13. Herbert Simon Meets Billy Vaughn Koen and Joan van Aken: From Sciences of the Artificial to Engineering Heuristics and Design Propositions (Édison Renato SILVA, Domício PROENÇA Jr., and Roberto BARTHOLO).- Chapter 14. Early Chinese Engineering Education: Influence and Disappearance of the Fuzhou Shipping School (CHEN Jia and WANG Jian).- Chapter 15. The Earliest Western-trained Engineers in China's Iron and Steel Industry (FANG Yibing and QIAN Wei).- Chapter 16. Engineering and the Postcolonial: Historical Perspectives and Ethical Practices (Suzanne MOON).- Chapter 17. Conflicts and Adaptations in Technology Transfer to Modern China: The Jiaoji Railway Case (WANG Bin).- Chapter 18. Between Optimism and Despair: Engineering, Anthropology, and Development in the 21st Century (Rita ARMSTRONG).- Chapter 19. I Became an Engineer by Accident!: Engineering, Vocation and Professional Values.(Christelle DIDIER and Patrick SIMONNIN).- Chapter 20. Chinese Student Perceptions of Engineering Ethics (Heinz C. LUEGENBIEHL).- Chapter 21. Engineering Policy: Exploratory Reflections (Carl MITCHAM).- Chapter 22. The Dao of Chinese Water Management and Development: Challenges and Perspectives (Wim RAVESTEIJN).- Chapter 23. Decision Making in the 120MN Shanghai Hydraulic Forging Press Project: Walking a Tightrope between Politics and Technology (SUN Lie).- Chapter 24. Roots of the Philosophy of Technology in China (YUAN Deyu (in discussion with CAO Dongming, Carl MITCHAM, and YIN Wenjuan).- Chapter 25. Humanities Perspectives on Science, Technology, and Engineering in China (LIU Dachun (in discussion with Carl MITCHAM and ZHAO Junhai).