"Technology for Man" Revisited

A reply to COMMENTS by S. C. Florman, J. C. Wallace, & J. G. Burke, on his article (see SA 1734/E3447) which argues that the important problems facing society today require an extension of the engineer's method to areas inclusive of, but extending beyond, the field of technology. This argument, it is claimed, is a denial & not an affirmation, as charged, of the notion that all problems are capable of a strictly 'technological fix.' An educ'al curriculum is proposed which would include some modern disciplinary course in the soc sci's that would give the engineer the unpleasant facts about our instit's that he needs as an engineer. REPLY, by S. C. Florman, argues that if morally uplifting soc sci courses were introduced into the curriculum, engineers would not take them, & if they did, would not be changed by them. What might help, it is suggested, is for engineers to be exposed to the 'poetry & perverseness of this crazy world, & this requires a curriculum very diff from that which W. E. Howland proposes.' M. Duke.