QUOTATIONS ABOUT ENGINEERING The story of civilization is, in a sense, the story of engineering—that long and arduous struggle to make the forces of nature work for man's good. (L. Sprague DeCamp, 1963) It would be well if engineering were less generally thought of, and even defined, as the art of constructing. In a certain sense it is rather the art of not constructing; or, to define it rudely but not inaptly, it is the art of doing well with one dollar that which any bungler can do with two. (A. M. Wellington, 1887) Scientists investigate that which already is; engineers create that which has never been. (Albert Einstein) Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own. (Scott Adams) The ideal engineer is a composite. He is not a scientist, he is not a mathematician, he is not a sociologist or a writer; but he may use the knowledge and techniques of any or all of these disciplines in solving engineering problems. (N. W. Dougherty, 1955) The engineer is the key figure in the material progress of the world. It is his engineering that makes a reality of the potential value of science by translating scientific knowledge into tools, resources, energy and labor to bring them into the service of man. To make contributions of this kind the engineer requires the imagination to visualize the needs of society and to appreciate what is possible as well as the technological and broad social age understanding to bring his vision to reality. (Sir Eric Ashby, 1958) A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. (Douglas Adams) Engineering is the art of modeling materials we do not wholly understand, into shapes we cannot precisely analyze so as to withstand forces we cannot properly assess, in such a way that the public has no reason to suspect the extent of our ignorance. (Dr. A.R. Dykes, 1976) We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us. (Winston Churchill) Your Assignment |