Aesthetics and ethics in engineering: insights from Polanyi
1Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. priyan@civil.mrt.ac.lk
Science and Engineering Ethics
|June 29, 2011
Summary
Michael Polanyi
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Science
- Engineering Ethics
- Aesthetics in Science
Background:
- Michael Polanyi's concept of personal knowledge in science.
- Exploration of beauty and morality as intrinsic values in scientific practice.
Discussion:
- Relevance of Polanyi's insights to the field of engineering.
- Engineering practice is also governed by aesthetic and ethical principles.
- Parallel structures of morality in science and engineering.
Key Insights:
- Polanyi's three spheres of morality (individual, community, society) find parallels in engineering.
- Shared values in engineering aesthetics demonstrated through practitioner consensus on accepted models.
- Engineering ethics prioritize public safety over client interests, as recognized by professional institutions.
Outlook:
- Engineering aesthetics and ethics can be studied as inter-subjective disciplines.
- Professional consensus justifies the study of shared values in engineering.
- Further research into the inter-subjective nature of engineering practice.
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