The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Engineering

Engineering has always been a part of human life but has only recently become the subject matter of systematic philosophical inquiry. The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Engineering presents the state-of-the-art of this field and lays a foundation for shaping future conversations within it. With a broad scholarly scope and 55 chapters contributed by both established experts and fresh voices in the field, the Handbook provides valuable insights into this dynamic and fast-growing field. The volume focuses on central issues and debates, established themes, and new developments in: Foundational perspectives Engineering reasoning Ontology Engineering design processes Engineering activities and methods Values in engineering Responsibilities in engineering practice Reimagining engineering The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Engineering will be of value for both students and active researchers in philosophy of engineering and in cognate fields (philosophy of technology, philosophy of design). It is also intended for engineers working both inside and outside of academia who would like to gain a more fundamental understanding of their particular professional field. The increasing development of new technologies, such as autonomous vehicles, and new interdisciplinary fields, such as human-computer interaction, calls not only for philosophical inquiry but also for engineers and philosophers to work in collaboration with one another. At the same time, the demands on engineers to respond to the challenges of world health, climate change, poverty, and other so-called "wicked problems" have also been on the rise. These factors, together with the fact that a host of questions concerning the processes by which technologies are developed have arisen, make the current Handbook a timely and valuable publication.

Table of Contents:
Introduction I: Foundational Perspectives 1. What Is Engineering? 2. A Brief History of Engineering 3. Western Philosophical Approaches and Engineering 4. Eastern Philosophical Approaches and Engineering 5. What Is Engineering Science? 6. Scientific Methodology in the Engineering Sciences II: Engineering Reasoning 7. Engineering Design and the Quest for Optimality 8. Prescriptive Engineering Knowledge 9. Engineering as Art and the Art of Engineering 10. Creativity and Discovery in Engineering 11. Uncertainty 12. Scenarios 13. Systems Engineering as Engineering Philosophy 14. Assessing Provenance and Bias in Big Data III: Ontology 15. Artifacts 16. Engineering Objects 17. Use Plans 18. Function in Engineering 19. Emergence in Engineering 20. Towards an Ontology of Innovation: On the New, the Political-Economic Dimension and the Intrinsic Risks Involved in Innovation Processes IV: Engineering Design Processes 21. Engineering Design 22. Values and Design 23. Design Methods and Validation 24. Human-Centred Design and its Inherent Ethical Qualities 25. Sustainable Design 26. Maintenance V: Engineering Activities and Methods 27. Measurement 28. Models in Engineering and Design 29. Scale Modeling 30. Computer Simulations 31. Experimentation 32. On Verification and Validation in Engineering VI: Values in Engineering 33. Values in Risk and Safety Assessment 34. Engineering and Sustainability: Control and Care in Unfoldings of Modernity 35. The Role of Resilience in Engineering 36. Trust in Engineering 37. Aesthetics 38. Health 39. Philosophy of Security Engineering VII: Responsibilities in Engineering Practice 40. Ethical Considerations in Engineering 41. Autonomy in Engineering 42. Standards in Engineering 43. Professional Codes of Ethics 44. Responsibilities to the Public—Professional Engineering Societies 45. Engineering as a Political Practice 46. Global Engineering Ethics 47. Engineering Practice and Engineering Policy: The Narrative Form of Engineering Policy Advice VIII: Reimagining Engineering 48. Feminist Engineering and Gender 49. Socially Responsible Engineering 50. Engineering and Social Justice 51. Engineering and Environmental Justice 52. Beyond Traditional Engineering: Green, Humanitarian, Social Justice, and Omnium Approaches 53. Engineering and Contemporary Continental Philosophy of Technology 54. Engineering Practice from the Perspective of Methodical Constructivism and Culturalism 55. Reimagining the Future of Engineering