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Contributing to Society ne of the great strengths of technical people is that we are objectively oriented and tend to elevate the rational aspects of problems to a higher level of significance than the subjective aspects of the problems. When we are dealing with a scientific or an engineering matter, this orientation is the basic power we have, enabling us to deal with Mother Nature and her immense, though reproducible, complexities. But when we approach a social problem, our objective approach, rather than providing us with strength, shackles us without our recognizing that fact. For social problems are not primarily scientific or technical problems, even though they have scientific and technical aspects. Social problems are at root people problems, and are not amenable to solutions based on objective criteria alone. Emotions are just as real and powerful forces in this arena as facts but, being qualitative, are not given equal ratings in a technical analysis of problems. In this light, attempts of the technical community to broaden its intellectual range to include the humanities make a great deal of sense. Most of us have seen at one time or another various lists of recommended reading outside the physical sciences. One of the best presentations we have seen is a new book “Engineering and the Liberal Arts,” by Samuel C. Florman, engineer and industrial executive. Mr. Florman tries to make clear how engineering needs to tie itself to humanity if it is to remain a significant social force. He constructs five bridges-to and from history, literature, philosophy, fine arts, and music-through which the needed vital juices will flow to nourish us and to nourish society. But, here, as in so many objectives that are fine as ideals but almost impossible to achieve in reality, there is no formula by which to change the technical man’s basic nature. For the very attributes that make us good technically-self-reliance, objectivity, attention to detail, logical thinking-are the characteristics that cause us as a group to be limited in what Florman calls “people-wisdom.” Even the great Roman engineer Vitruvius, also quoted by Florman, knew 20 centuries ago that one must have both and that most of us have trouble enough mastering one. We are, therefore, reduced again to facing the fact that technologists in general must make their greatest contribution to society through their contributions to technology. To only a few is enough greatness given that they can rise above their specialty-whether that be science, art, humanity, or any other branch of endeavor-to draw the separate strands together. To think that technical people as a group can contribute to social problems through channels other than their technology is unrealistic. For outside our specialties, we must act as people, and not expect our skills in our fields to carry much weight elsewhere.
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VOL 60
NO, 7
JULY 1 9 6 8
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