A Companion to the Philosophy of Technology

General Characterization

One of the core activities of engineering that distinguishes it from science is designing. Engineering design, as defined by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET):

is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired needs. It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic science and mathematics and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet a stated objective.¹

The stated objective is laid down in what is usually called a list of specifications. This list is derived from the function that the thing to be designed (system, component or process) is required to perform; and that function, in turn, is related to certain human ends (needs). If the designed artifact meets all the specifications, it is deemed able to realize the desired function. Whether that is indeed the case depends on whether the list of specifications adequately captured the function. If the reasoning from end to function has been performed adequately, the designed artifact can be used as a reliable means to realize the specified end.

Engineers design a great variety of things ranging from mass-produced computers to unique oil platforms, from telephones to high-rise buildings, from components to complex systems, from micro-organism to software, etc. Correspondingly there is also much variety in engineering design practices. In some practices, the design phase includes the actual making and testing ...